Scared
by hitori-no-kensi
Summary: Kagome was raped by her previous boyfriend, Naraku, after having her whole family killed. Now she's staying at Sango's, will she meet her true love? KagXSessh
1. Ch1 Running, A strange meeting

Hey, second fic

**Hey, second fic! I hope everyone likes this, it took a while to make.**

**Disclaimer:** **Sadly I don't own any of these characters and this probably will never happen, but I really wish I did own Inuyasha but that's never gonna happen!**

Chapter 1

He was still behind her. She could feel him, hear his labored breathing, knew that he would catch her for the umpteenth time, knew the beatings would get worse still. But she hoped against all hope that she could get away this time. Her heart pounded against her chest and her breath came out strained, her lungs aching for air, pain searing up her legs and torso as she pushed herself one block after another. Her naked feet slapping on the concrete loud and sharp, followed by the hard pounding of the boots behind her, getting louder still as he gained on her toiling body.

Over and over again those painful images kept surfacing, pushing Kagome to run farther from him. Thankfully, he was so drunk he could barely see in front of him. His body swinging madly from one side of the sidewalk to the other, allowing her to pull ahead of him a bit. But he was still stronger, leaner, and faster than her, so he just sped up a bit and was easily catching up to her.

Her pleated mini-skirt was torn so much that her underwear showed. She desperately clung to it so as not to let it fall off as she sprinted down another alleyway. She had barely a shirt on, the buttons broken so she had to hold it closed.

Her long legs streaked with crusted blood from the glass that he had hit her head with. She had faked passing out, and when he tried to get her clothes off, she leaped up and kicked him hard in his nuts, sending him sprawling to the floor with a cry of pain. She had spared no more time than to get the keys and ran out the house, unlocking her cuffs and sprinting down the well-known street.

Her crying smeared her make-up and the bruises showed through. Red welts penetrated her beautiful appearance, the most recent on her hands where she had struggled and finally got out of the shackles that had tied her down.

She crossed down another desolate street, only to find it a dead end, and whipped around, flinching when he grabbed her wrist and threw her to the ground.

"Whatdaya thinkkk yoour doin..?" He hollered, the slur in his voice showing that he was more than drunk and ready to pass-out. He grabbed to the right of her, obviously seeing double, and then grabbed her hair, not caring that she screamed when he did.

"LET GO, NARAKU!!" Kagome screamed hoarsely, her breathing becoming erratic from fear of what she was to go 'home' to. Her plea ran on deaf ears as he dragged her over to a pay phone to call his 'buddies' to pick them up.

He held her by one hand and smacked her across the face, giving her already black-and-blue face a shiny red undercoat. He stumbled into the payphone stand and dialed the number wrong. In frustration he almost slammed it against the telephone stand, then stopped and thinking better than that he grabbed Kagome by the front of her torn blouse and jammed it into her stomach, making her wheeze and double-over, allowing him satisfaction and a chance to use both his hands.

The blow hit her down and Kagome collapsed to her knees, waiting for her breathing to slow enough so that she could run again. She was about to take off when she noticed the Brandy bottle he had been holding earlier, rolling slightly to her left. She reached for it, an inkling of hope rising when she grabbed the bottle top and got herself up.

Fortunately, Naraku had dialed another wrong number, the booze in him making all the numbers look similar. She rose the bottle up over her head and hit him square in the back of his head, making his body lurch forward and into the payphone stand. He hit the ground with a thud and blood seeped out of the blow she had given him.

She dropped the now broken bottle onto the ground, the broken glass shattering into a thousand pieces on the littered sidewalk. Kagome knew she had a couple of hours before sunrise to rest and call someone before people would notice Naraku's body and bring him to the hospital, if he did not wake before then.

She kneeled on the ground before him, watching him and shaking terribly as she took the money from his pockets. He had enough money to make a couple more calls, so she staggered back to the payphone and dialed a number she had willed herself not to forget, just incase she ever escaped like this.

"Hello?" Sango's voice came out low and tired, making it obvious that she was sleeping, it was 2a.m. after all.

"S-Sango, is that you? I-It's Kagome." She said, her fear laced in her voice.

"Kagome? I haven't heard from you since your…mother passed… That was over 3 years ago! What's happened Kagome?" Sango's voice becoming stronger as she began to wake up.

"Sango, please… I need you to… Can you pick me up?... I know it's late, but he's after me…" Kagome whispered as she felt the sting of her bruises get to her.

"Of course I can, Kagome. I'll be there right away. Where are you?" Sango told her. She knew Kagome was having problems with Naraku, he was a drunk, abusive idiot that was Kagome's boyfriend. He had taken her away from all her friends as soon as her mother died, the day before had been her 18th birthday.

"I don't know where I am… Sango there's nothing here except bars. I think the place is called Dime's Drunk."

"Dime's Drunk… Kagome I have no idea where that is, but I can look it up on the internet. Hold on okay?" There was a voice in the background, most likely Miroku's, Sango's old boyfriend. She got back on as she and Miroku headed out the door, "Yah, Miroku says he knows the place, we're coming to get you so hold tight okay? Can you get to an open area where people are, Kagome? You're in a really bad place."

"Yah I know… I'll go to the next street…How long will you be?"

"Half-an-hour, can you be there for that long without drawing attention?" Sango said slowly as she got to her car, she decided to drive since Miroku's driving skills were horrible.

"Alright."

"Sure, okay I'll see you then. The cell's breaking up, Kay?"

"Kay, bye..."

"See ya later."

-- Sango's Car--

"Miroku, what do you think happened?" Sango asked him as she got off the phone with Kagome. He shrugged and seemed more focused about where they were going, leaving all the worrying about the trauma for Sango to do and think about for the moment.

20 minutes passed by in silence and she took a left when Miroku said to, arriving in a district far from Tokyo. Gangs littered the houses with their 'signs' letting all around them know that they were entering their turf. The place smelled of alcohol and as if someone took a huge dog and let it loose to 'mark' its territory. Truthfully, there were dogs there, only they were the kind that would bite off your fingers if you didn't get the message when it barked.

"Sango, what is Kagome doing in this place?" Miroku asked finally, his eyes still searching for the bar. His instincts told him there was obviously something wrong in the situation and he finally wanted to know after the silence that had been in the car for the last half-hour.

"Well I should probably tell you so that you don't go all 'Man Protection' on her. You remember her from high school and her mother's funeral right?" He nodded, "Well... you remember how I had cried when she said she was moving in with Naraku and wasn't allowed to visit us, right? And how I told her that that was a sign that he wasn't a good boyfriend and she said she had no choice since she had no where else to go and couldn't stay at her home because of the assassination of her whole family?" Miroku nodded gravely, the facts dawning on him.

"He did something to her didn't he?" He said angrily. He hated when men took over the lives of women and used them just for sex and slavery. It wasn't really slavery, but he thought of it more like the wife or girlfriend was a maid for the overpowering man. He shook with rage as he gripped his seatbelt and pointed for her to turn right.

"Yeah..." Sango responded sorrowfully, "I knew his last girlfriend and she broke up with him because he raped her and locked her in the house for two days without food so that she wouldn't tell. He threatened to kill her if she did, so once she got out she moved away. Haven't heard of her since. She told no one but me and I swore I wouldn't tell him I knew, but I told Kagome... I think he may have done it again..."

"Why didn't you call the police?" He said with surprise.

"She wouldn't testify, and plus she made me swear not to tell him about- THERE SHE IS!" Sango exclaimed as she nearly drove onto the sidewalk as she saw a cowering Kagome run away from the impending car accident. She noticed that she was a bit taller, but still looked the same, except for the terror in her eyes and the slightly bluish tinge she saw for an instant of a second as the headlights had swung over her body.

"Sango?... Miroku?" She whispered as they came out of the car and into view.

Sango ran up to her, saw her bruises and immediately halted. Her skin seemed white from the cold, but every few inches there were large scarlet bruises covering her body. She gasped when she saw the way Kagome's skirt was torn and the state of her shirt was atrocious. She tried to touch a bruise on Kagome's arm when she flinched away, clearly fearful from the sudden touch.

There was a silence as Miroku and her looked Kagome over, embarrassment apparent on Miroku's face for seeing her in such a degrading outfit. He noticed her toned legs and lean body-shape, though, and saw behind her frightened eyes a sparkle of hope that seemed to grow as they took her to the car and drove her home. Though the wary frown never disappeared from her face, it was clear that she was grateful to them both.

As they neared Sango and Miroku's house Kagome whimpered as she remembered the death of her family by the assassin.

XX_Flashback_XX

_It was luck that got her from being killed, her mother had sent her to get some milk for Souta. When she came back, she found police around her house, questioning the neighbors and bringing out her brother in a stretcher._

_She ran to them, wondering what was going on and they told her in grave voices that her family had been murdered. They got a call from the neighbors saying that they heard gunshots and they came as fast as they could, but it was too late. _

_Their whole family had been undercover for the police and had been on a hit list for a well known gang. Her boyfriend had saved her family from being killed when her grandfather had because he knew the gang leader and persuaded them to lay off the rest of the family for the grandfather's gambling mistake. They had given her 4 months to get the money they owed them and they got almost all of it. But not enough apparently._

_She looked at them in disbelief, she had just seen them 10 minutes ago! Then she saw the stretcher with the sheet over it and immediately knew it was her brother. She fell to the ground and sobbed, her life changing forever._

XX_End Flashback_XX

"Kagome? We're here..." Sango gently whispered to Kagome. Her sadness grew when Kagome flinched again at the suddenness of the call.

"Here?" She said weakly as she brought her mind to the present. She cleared her throat and spoke stronger, "Can I stay with you for a while?"

"Of Course!" Sango exclaimed a bit too loud for the occasion, "You lived with us for a whole year before, why we would love for you to come back!"

"There is one problem though," Miroku said as they neared the restaurant that he owned and lived in, "Inuyasha...Um, He's sort-of, how do you say-"

"He's an annoying Hanyou with an even more bastard girlfriend, Kikyo, that he 'invites' for nights only. If you get what I mean. You won't have to worry about her though, or even Inuyasha for that matter because of Sesshomaru. He's Inuyasha half-brother and he's a full Youkai. You really shouldn't piss him off though, he has a temper but has a very regal way to treat life." Sango explained this as they walked into the three-story restaurant-house.

On the first floor was the five-star restaurant that Miroku overlooked and the second and third floor was all to themselves. She showed Kagome where Inuyasha and Kikyo were staying, which was on the second floor, along with Sango and Miroku's room. Lastly, they came to the third floor stairs.

"Now, your room is on the third floor, along with Sesshomaru's. He lives on the third floor by himself, so if he wonders who you are, please just tell him you're a guest, he almost killed the last guest, one of Inuyasha's 'ladies'. He owns Taisho Insurance Industries, yeah he's rich but prefers his furnished floor then moving out and having his own desolate home. He and Inuyasha are supposed to co-own it, but Inuyasha prefers not to have any responsibilities, so he just assists him. Um... If there's anything you need, Kagome, just call us on the intercom outside of your room, okay?" Sango yawned and stretched her arms, causing Miroku and Kagome to do the same. Miroku smiled and laughed, along with Sango, and Kagome showed a hint of a smile.

She thanked them greatly for their hospitality and asked if she could borrow some of Sango's clothing, seeing as she had little of her own. Miroku's eyes widened and he backed away from the growingly ecstatic Sango, he knew how she was when she looked for outfits, this could take hours. He mumbled something about having to go to bed because of a sudden headache and all but ran for his room, making sure to fake sleep so he did not have to involve himself in Sango's crazy clothing raids.

Sango on the other hand, started hopping up and down and clapping her hands together like a child being allowed to eat ice cream before dinner. She took a deep breath and motioned for Kagome to follow her to another part of the second floor.

"Now, I know this is gonna sound crazy, and probably look like it, but I really love clothes okay? So please just let me go crazy, because I really go nuts!" Sango told her. She opened the door that seemed to lead to the other half of the second floor.

And Kagome walked into a little girl's dream closet. Everywhere were clothes! Walls were filled with pumps, lingerie, neatly folded outfits all in there own little shelves! The outfits were exquisite, some ranging from Gucci to Nike. Many still had tags on them and each section was not only color coordinated, but also by brand, season and style. She was in fashion heaven.

There was a whole section of nightgowns from Victoria's Secret, piles of shopping bags that still had clothes in them, and the room was the size of a Banquet Hall, the high ceilings and all! Ladders surrounded the edges, so that one could get things from the top.

She and Sango spent nearly two hours finding outfits for at least a month and Kagome had her own walk-in closet. The closet was much smaller, but it was still as big as her room. Her room was also magnificent. Sango had explained that Sesshomaru had added the lilac carpet and matching bed covering so that he might have his whole floor looking pleasant. Lilac was his favorite color, as was for Kagome.

She showed Kagome where Sesshomaru usually slept, though to Sango's surprise, he wasn't there. His door was wide open and his clock showed the time of 5a.m.

"Good night, Kagome." Sango said as she waved from the stairs after she got Kagome settled into her room with her knew clothes. "See you tomorrow. Whenever you're awake, just come to the kitchen. I'll leave breakfast if I have to work, but I doubt it. Is your favorite still strawberry pancakes?"

Kagome nodded, seeming ready to pass out from the night's affairs.

"Okay then strawberry it is. And Kagome... If there's anything, and I mean _anything_ that you need. Just buzz or feel free to come down. I will always be here to comfort you."

Kagome turned to her room as Sango went downstairs. She turned on the shower and got in, lying in the tub and scrubbing herself clean.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

"Mr. Taisho, Sir, are you leaving now?" Kagura asked politely. She smiled innocently when he glared at her for asking the obvious question. "It's Friday night and I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it you want, Kagura?" Sesshomaru inquired, knowing full well that Kagura never was polite unless she had something she wanted to get out of or wanted something.

"You don't have to be so rude, Sesshy-kun." She smirked seductively. She smiled persuasively when he narrowed his eyes at the name. She walked around her desk that was near his door and loosely tugged his shirt.

"Do not address me like that, Kagura. You are in no position to do so." He said as he took a step towards the exit door, indicating that he was going to leave if she did not tell him what she wanted, "You did want something, correct?"

"Fine._Sesshy-kun_, I want to come to your room again." She cooed while emphasizing the nickname she had given him.

He eyed her suspiciously, "No. You were there once and that was a mistake. We are not a couple, Kagura, so do not think that that night last year is still an effective ruse. Either you drop this subject or I will drop your job."

He smirked when the smile vanished from her face. She was his secretary and though he had gotten her for her skills, she only got the job because Inuyasha had liked her looks. She now only kept the job because of her newfound skills, since the night she 'slept' over made him realize she wanted him for his money and looks.

"Why not, Sesshy-_kun_, after that night you have treated me the worst! It's been a whole year and all you do is ignore me as if the thing never happened!" She feigned sadness and pouted, reaching to unbutton his shirt, "Come-on, just one more time?"

"We will never do that again." He replied calmly but nonetheless harshly. "And do not try that pouting nonsense, I know your tricks and I am no fool like my brother. You are sleeping with him now, I know what he does when Kikyo is not around. So I will leave if there is nothing else you wish me to do."

"FINE! You know what, I'm leaving too, but I'm never coming back to this dump! I can't stand you anymore! And so what if I wanted you or Inuyasha for your money? At least Inuyasha and any other man would take me in a heartbeat! You are even stupider than Inuyasha-"

"Kagura I am warning you-"

"-And he's just a half-breed! I thought a _Youkai_ was smarter than that-" her voice caught in her throat when she felt his claws wrap around her neck and her back slam into the desk behind her.

"You will _not_ compare this Sesshomaru with such a demeaning half-breed as Inuyasha. You are in no position to do so, and never will be." Sesshomaru's scathing voice slightly above a whisper.

His voice had a menacing undertone and his tongue curled along the words, making each remark more threatening then the next. He tightened his grip around her throat, cutting off her breathing and making her whimper in distress. He had never lashed out with her around, and he never had intended to do so, but today he was just not caring for etiquette.

He was tired from the work all week had given him, Kagura had been increasingly annoying these last few days and had been neglecting her work altogether. He was annoyed that Inuyasha had not fired that good-for-nothing secretary, Kikyo, all because she slept with him, yet hiring and firing people was the only thing he had to do! And to top it all off, his father was coming in next Friday and everything was behind schedule!

"Go home, Kagura. And pack this stuff. I want you out of this office and gone _tonight_." Sesshomaru told her as he slowly let each finger uncurl around her throat.

She gasped for air when he finally let her go, looking at him with pure terror in her eyes. She stumbled into the trashcan beside her as he watched her back up and try gathering up her stuff. She took a box from under her desk and threw everything that was on the desk into it, leaving only the lamp and calendar, and began emptying the drawers as well. She continuously glanced nervously back at him as she put her things into the box, making the easy task strenuous and difficult.

"Wait." He said as she shuffled past him, eyes averted to the floor. He knew she was scared out of her wits, but she had something that belonged to him. "My necklace."

Kagura's eyes widened as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver and gold locket. She had taken it the night before and thought he wouldn't notice that she had replaced it with a fake. It was a relic that had been passed down from generation to generation in Sesshomaru's family, and he was not about to lose it to someone like Kagura.

She quickly handed him the moon shaped locket and ran towards the door, glancing back nervously only to see that he was gone. Unbeknownst to her, he was watching her from outside of the office.

She sighed, looked around suspiciously and walked nervously to her car, her keys shaking so much she could barely open the door. She mumbled a few curses that Sesshomaru easily heard as she backed out of the parking garage and went down the ramp.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Driving home Sesshomaru realized that he was going to have to get an extremely good secretary that was not only good, but had manners, could stand up to his father's judgments, and would begin work and get the hang of things by Friday. It was going to be a _long_ week.

He looked around slightly suspiciously when he got to his floor and the scent of someone other than his roommates was not only still there, but was getting stronger, as if the person was still on his floor. He sniffed the air and he noticed the scent was coming from his guest room. He was about to call out Kagura's name and noticed it wasn't her scent, but one of lilacs and apple-cinnamon.

Sesshomaru stealthily went to the door and walked in, slightly surprised to have not noticed that the shower was on. He shook the thought and was in the bathroom in a split second.

There, passed out, was what Sesshomaru believed to be one of Inuyasha's women, actually Kagome. He growled lowly, knowing his half-brother was always bringing home stupid hookers to the house. He became confused when he didn't smell the half-breeds scent on her, but also shook that thought, figuring the water had washed it away.

He turned off the steaming water and picked up the woman, Kagome, and noticed that she had bruises all over her body, even in places a roughed-up person shouldn't have. She fought his touch unconsciously, even when he was gentle, but he was still strong and he thought the unconscious fighting and bruises were related somehow. Some of the bruises actually turned out to be scars, and there were a_lot_ of them. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion then got suddenly angry when he thought again that his half-brother did this.

He placed her on the guest bed and watched her toss about the covers. She was sweating nervously and kept screaming '_stop!'_. When the sun peeked over the window and light filtered in, she was still as restless and he noticed he had not slept at all, not that he would have anyway.

Then, when the sunlight hit her body fully, she got up with a start and looked around frantically, her frightened eyes finally settling on Sesshomaru. She stared at him, his eyes never leaving hers, and she looked him over, eyes wide. She noticed his silver hair tossing in the wind from the open window as he looked towards the clock and turned back to her. He had long, silky pants that looked soft to the touch, but covered his powerful, muscled legs. His buttoned-down shirt was a pearl white that tightened at the arms, bulging from the taut muscles of his arms and chest. Though he was clearly muscular, he was very lean, making his muscles perfect for his form. His pale skin showed no signs of a tan, and his lean body hid the full power of his body.

With his legs in front of him, he stared into her violet eyes and watched her with no expression as her bruised but fit body curled away from him, a response he did not expect from one of Inuyasha's bitches. His calm and cold stare made her even more frightened and she gathered up the covers and started to get up slowly, heading for the door.

She was inches from the door when he was suddenly in front of her, all the while glaring at her and causing her to hit into his chest, her body falling to the floor as her violet irises exposed her raw fear of his actions. She gasped inwardly and was about to scream when he placed his hand over her mouth. She began to fight tooth-and-nail to get out of his grasp, but he firmly picked her up and deposited her on the bed with a thump.

"Who are you?" They both said in unison.

**Hope you liked it! I have worked on this for quite a long time and the next chapter will be ready for tomorrow. Did I spell tomorrow wrong? It always seems wrong, no matter how I spell it...**


	2. Ch2 Dessert!

Hey, second fic

**Oh yah! I got style! I got looks and I got Inuyasha! I own him! Well, I don't really own him... Okay fine! I didn't even make the show... What ev... ON with the story!!**

_With his legs in front of him, he stared into her violet eyes and watched her with no expression as her bruised but fit body curled away from him, a response he did not expect from one of Inuyasha's bitches. His calm cold stare made her even more frightened and she gathered up the covers and started to get up slowly, heading for the door. _

_She was inches from the door when he was suddenly in front of her, all the while glaring at her and causing her to hit into his chest, her body falling to the floor as her violet irises exposed her raw fear of his actions. She gasped inwardly and was about to scream when he placed his hand over her mouth. She began to fight tooth-and-nail to get out of his grasp, but he firmly picked her up and deposited her on the bed with a thump._

"_Who are you?" They both said in unison_

Chapter 2 

Suddenly, everything that happened the night before dawned on Kagome. She visibly calmed down somewhat and looked around, the frightened look on her face disappearing, and turned to the Youkai in front of her, whom she supposed was Sesshomaru. Her face hardened and she looked at him with contempt.

"You didn't have to throw me on the bed." She snapped, adjusting herself on the bed to face the individual in front of her.

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru repeated, hoping that he wasn't conversing with one of the idiots that his brainless brother brought in. He eyed her when he noticed the shifting look she gave towards the door, as if she wished to leave.

"Kagome..." She said and started to get up, watching him all the while. He reached out and attempted to grab her hand. She jerked away at the last second and for a fleeting moment, he noticed the stark fear in her eyes before she turned to her stony, ignorant self. He grabbed her hand again, this time faster, and she gasped for air, feeling pain shoot up her arm.

Her arms ached from the bruises she had attained, and though he held her gently, as if holding a baby, she still felt a torrent of pain anytime she moved her wrist, so having someone grab it was like having someone push a dozen pins up her arm. She tried to jerk away from his grasp and he immediately tightened his hold, careful not to hurt her, but not willing to have the stranger run without some sort of explanation. He lifted her to her feet. "Let go!"

"No." He said firmly and noticed the fear return to her eyes, "Did my half-brother do this to you?" He said as he lifted her shirt partially to reveal the repulsive bruises and blemishes that tarnished her skin and covered her beauty. Her entire body was a black-and-blue canvas with splotches of red scars running down her arms and legs, her long legs, though covered in the thick cloth of her nightgown, were discolored and swollen.

As he lifted his perfectly sculpted eyebrow in confusion and curiosity, he lifted her arm and she groaned from the pain of stretching the overly worked muscle and whimpered uncharacteristically when he attempted to lift it up again. She begged with her eyes for him to stop the tortuous exercise, knowing that words would nothing to change his mind as to what he would do next.

"I don't-I don't know your half-brother." She said confused yet hurriedly, her frightened stance showing him obviously that she was not lying.

"Then how did you get these bruises?" Sesshomaru said gruffly as he let go of her hand. She jerked away from him and fell onto the bed, gathering up the pillows and blankets as if for defense.

When a long pause filled the room, the Youkai lowered himself onto the edge of the bed gracefully, causing Kagome to cringe, thinking he was going to grab her again for not answering. He lifted his eyebrow again, as if astonished that she would not answer his question in full knowledge of how he could get it from her otherwise, and continued to stare at her, awaiting her reply.

"I-It's nothing." Kagome stuttered as she looked away from his questioning stare. Though she had been through hell, she still didn't want anyone to pity her. Everyone she had ever come to know began to pity and talk about her after she let them know of her story, so wishing not to have an almost complete stranger pity her was not the way she did things. She wished he would just drop the subject.

"_Those_ are not just nothing." Sesshomaru said slowly. He wondered if she was a runaway. The clothes he had gathered from the night before were torn and looked like they had been ripped to pieces, he had thought she was a homeless human, looking for a place to stay, but the bruises told him there was a whole other story behind the intrusion of his floor.

"Sango let me stay here for a while," She said quickly, as if sensing that his very thoughts.

"And the marks?" He asked, knowing that if he dropped the question she wouldn't tell him. He noticed her tense when he brought the conversation back to her injuries.

"I-I fell down the stairs when I got here a-and then I took a shower and while I was changing into my pajamas, I hit my stomach into the sink." She lied, hoping he didn't catch the fact that she didn't even remember what happened after her shower.

"No, you did not." Her eyes widened like a deer caught in the headlights of a car, "I took you out of the shower and changed you into those clothes. Now tell me the _correct_ story. I do not appreciate lies."

She blushed about ten shades redder than beetroot red and looked down at the thought of him changing her. _That's how he knew about my bruises, _She thought.

"Sesshomaru, drop it..." She whispered as strongly as she could. Her eyes began to water and she got up to go to her closet, moving so he could not see them.

"And why the tears then?" He said as he appeared in front of her, blocking her way to the closet. Her eyes shifted to the knob and he pretended to grab her wrist, showing that he would get the answer out of her one way or another. A battered woman did not just use his room and not give an explanation so as to why she appeared in the state she was in.

She glared at him, "My ex-boyfriend, Kay?" She averted her eyes again when she thought that what he was going to say next was another 'sorry' or 'can I help' phrase that she was so familiar with. She was tired of her friends who thought that they could help. Tired of being gawked at when people saw her in her torn outfits, running away from Naraku. Tired of being the outsider when talking about relationships, guys, or anything that had to do with her old home. In general, she was just tired of the same old thing.

"Alright. Breakfast is probably cold, but if you change you may join us." Sesshomaru said with his own eyes averted to the door, signaling that the conversation was over.

She could tell that even though he heard her, that was all he had wanted to know. She relaxed and almost smiled when he said 'Alright', it was the first time someone had just accepted her situation and not tried the puppy dog and serious look.

"Okay... I'll be down in a second, if they are willing to wait for me. Unless they have other plans."

'Hn.' was the response she got from him as he looked at her once more and walked out of the room with as much elegance as one could possibly muster up to get out the door. She noted that his whole appearance seemed rather regal, but not in a snottish or over the top way, but as if his presence just demanded dominance. Taken aback, Kagome changed and was still pondering about the response he gave her when he opened the door.

"Hey! Knock!" She yelled at him.

"You said you would be down in a second yet you are pondering most likely ridiculous thoughts that are making you later than necessary for breakfast. Everyone is waiting so get out." He said mockingly, ignoring her plea for the knock and knowing he did not care to knock anyway. It was his room, no matter who slept in it.

"Fine. Wait. What if I didn't want to hurry up?" Kagome asked bravely.

"You would be holding up my breakfast and This Sesshomaru does not appreciate such unbecoming behavior, even from a guest as lowly as a human. I would advise against it." He said and raised a delicate yet demanding eyebrow as if to say 'Do you wish to test this one?'

"Fine, Sesshomaru."

"You may call me Mr. Taisho or Sesshomaru-sama. We will dine now."

"It's just breakfast, Sesshomaru-_sama_." Kagome muttered emphasizing the 'sama' part with as much sarcasm as she could.

"Hn." He replied with as much interest in what she said as a child might when dealing with homework.

"Kagome!" Sango said a bit too loud, causing Inuyasha to wince and Sesshomaru to glare disapprovingly her way as he sat at head of the table after showing Kagome her seat.

"Hey Sango." She said while seating to the left of Sesshomaru and looking at the breakfast with some interest.

She hadn't had food that good since, well, her mom had died. She was about to tear up at the painful memory when she realized where she was and she held her posture as much as she could, hiding the tears from everyone except Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, whom both could smell the salty scent. Kagome looked up and realized that Miroku was serving more food, an occurrence that she was not used to.

Though she ate sparingly, she felt full and was able to speak with Sango about normal girl stuff as if she were just a normal guest. She felt like she was supposed to feel, at home. Then she heard something about a job opening in Sesshomaru's office and began listening in on his and Inuyasha's argument. Inuyasha seemed to be yelling with much gusto and Kagome found herself listening to him try to piss off his impassive brother, but seemed no where along the line as Sesshomaru merely looked at him with a bored expression.

"-You FIRED her?" Inuyasha fumed in disbelief, "Kagura? She was your only secretary! Why did you have to fire her this week of all weeks! Don't you remember-"

"-That father is coming? Yes, I am aware of the circumstances we are in and perhaps we can get a new secretary-"

"-A new one? She was one of the BEST! She knew the job like the back of her hand! Jeez, and you call me an idiot!-"

"-And you still are one. The fact that she was a tolerable secretary and knew the job well did not suffice for the disrespect she has shown us and others as a representative of my stature and of our company. She was an embarrassment. There will be no more discussing this subject on my ability to fire someone since you have neglected even that part of your job and that's the only thing you have to do. Just hire someone to replace her by Monday, there has to be someone who wants the job offer."

"Whatever. But how am I supposed to find an exceptional secretary with typing skills, an excellent way with words, public speaking abilities, and someone who can tolerate you AND father? Who the hell would be crazy enough to want the job anyway? It's not like there are many secretaries better than her!" Inuyasha spooned what little milk there was left in his cereal and dropped his bowl on the table, making a slamming noise that made Kagome recoil.

"...Can I apply, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked with an earnest voice. "I applied for the job a year ago and didn't get to make the job interview because... well, I can do it now, so can I apply?"

Inuyasha looked at her with surprise. He had hardly noticed her at all except for slightly noting that she reminded him of Kikyo. He knew she was going to be staying for a bit at the house and thought, 'Why not?'

"Okay. You got the job." He said with a shrug and got up to get more cereal.

"Wait." Sesshomaru said and questioning eyes fell on him, "You didn't even interview her. How do you even know she's qualified, if there are any better contenders, and if I even interviewed her?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Okay fine. Kagome, or whatever, what would your résumé say? If you were to hand me one?"

"Well, I finished high school in 2 and-a-half years and went to Harvard University for another 2 years, finishing the four year requirement in that time. I majored in accounting and computer skills. I have a bachelor's in computer engineering and I worked at a local computer store for another year, getting a degree in psychology and accounting online. I have worked in two banks and had a secretarial position for the mayor and a private business this past year. I was never fired from any of these jobs, if you were wondering, it's just that my..."

She paused and pushed the rough memories of Naraku dragging her out of whatever job she could get. She cleared her throat and began again, "Well, my boyfriend at the time didn't believe in women working for money. Um... I'm 21 now and can work on any schedule. I currently am unemployed and am seeking a job of this exact position, so I would like to apply. " She took a deep breath from the long speech she gave and looked up hopefully to see if she might try for the job.

When she did, she saw that everyone, except a stoic Youkai, was staring at her with the jaws wide and their eyes bulging. Sango nodded her head in astonishment when she figured out that that was the reason Kagome had left school so early. Inuyasha smirked after a long pregnant pause, causing Sesshomaru to clear his throat and get everyone up from their trance-like state of mind.

"And?..." Sesshomaru asked her, causing everyone to look at him instead with confusion. They all seemed to think she was _overly_ qualified, knowing she could get any secretarial position in the city.

Inuyasha spoke first, "And what, Sesshomaru!? She's perfect for the job and her decree, or whatever in psychology makes her more than capable to deal with your arrogant and pompous ass, not to mention Father's hostile attitude toward anyone and everyone! You know she is right for this job and we don't have the time for you and your-"

"I am not about to hire an incompetent _human_ that perhaps has no values or knows what our company is about. Tomorrow I will examine your skills at typing and organizing. Also, please give me an _actual_ résumé, one that I can look at and not have to cite for my father, he will not be pleased otherwise." He looked at Inuyasha to see if he wanted to interrupt once again and stood and cleared his place at the table, returning a few moments later to gesture to Sango that he wished to speak with her.

"You wanted to speak with me, Sesshomaru?" Sango asked politely when they were out of earshot from even Inuyasha's perceptive hearing. She padded lightly next to him, eyeing him with curiosity since she had only been once summoned privately before.

"Yes, I wanted to know who is this Kagome and why she staying in _my_ guest room and not perhaps the one next to Inuyasha's room. I would have preferred to arrive without that surprise you left in there." Sesshomaru inquired and stopped walking to turn towards the demon slayer beside him. His golden irises pooling into hers, causing an undesirable shudder to pass through her, as if he radiated authority over his domain, namely his floor.

"I'm sorry Sesshomaru, I was going to put her there, but wasn't sure if Inuyasha's 'ladies' were going to show up in the middle of the night like they usually do. And I can't change her there now, you know he will try her patience and though what's happened to her has changed her substantially, she's still tough, and won't appreciate his perverted ways." She looked away from his piercing stare to study the threadbare hall wall. Thinking, she returned her gaze to the Youkai and held it, not letting him intimidate her into letting Kagome even semi near the Hanyou that threatened to destroy the trust she had gained from her beloved friend.

"Your guest room is the only other option, and I know you've seen the bruises, you were staring at her clothes as though you knew they were hiding something. She can't take another guy taking advantage of her like her old boyfriend did."

She watched him as he studied her, a familiar silence filling in between them, neither caring to break it as they contemplated the situation and outcome that may result from their conversation.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Miroku sighed, realizing Sango had left him with all the dishes. He hated dishes and was all but ecstatic when Kagome offered to do them. Being gentleman-like, he said that he would do some also and went to the sink whistling. It was only Saturday and no one had to do anything for the entire day, so he was bored already when breakfast was finished and company seemed good for both their moods.

"Kagome, wanna do something other than watch TV? I'm already bored and Inuyasha went to his room to well, _talk_ with Kikyo."

"Sheesh! Didn't they _talk_ enough last night? I heard them even after we passed their room and were heading upstairs! Don't they ever just quit?" She smirked a bit and forced a phony smile to him and he saw right through it.

"I know that smirk was real, but you don't have to pretend you're okay, alright? I remember you from high school and you always did that, you barely even opened up to Sango and she was and still is your best friend. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable here, I want you to smile on your own account, not ours. We want this to be your _home._"

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Miroku smiled as he finished the last dishes and looked at Kagome to see her smile fail and the sadness he knew she was holding glazed over her eyes and features at what he had just said. When he was finished, though, he saw her look down and blush ever so slightly, a smile gracing the corners of her lips. He smiled to himself and dropped the subject.

"Let's go to the shop! I'll teach you some cooking lessons!" Miroku said suddenly, the idea popping into his head. "I'll teach you how to make a dessert that everyone will love!"

Kagome looked up, and for once Miroku thought he saw a smile on her face and the glimmer of hope in her eyes, she was still thinking about the 'home' part in their previous conversation. It quickly faded when Inuyasha came into the room smelling like the pimp he was and he smirked as he towed Kikyo to the fridge, his shirt hanging loosely over her shorts.

"What's up?" the Hanyou said lightly as Kikyo left the kitchen to get some 'fresh air'.

"Nothing." Miroku answered back, looking at Inuyasha disapprovingly.

"Hey Kagome." She looked his way, "Wanna have your turn?" He suggested, smirking provocatively. His face changed to confusion when the color of her face drained and she backed away from him faster than he thought humanly possible. He smelled her anger boil, and looked puzzled when Miroku turned towards the frightened girl and she jerked away from his touch, her eyes never leaving Inuyasha.

"Damn it, Inuyasha! What the hell's wrong with you!" Miroku yelled in his face, making the confused Hanyou back up and defensively put his hands up in surrender.

He had never seen Miroku yell at anyone, especially for something as stupid as his morning phrase 'Wanna have your turn?' He even said it on a daily basis to Sango and they just ignored him. Now he was curious.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Sango cast her eyes down, "Sesshomaru, You're no idiot. You know that if she stays there and even remotely allows Inuyasha to kiss her, he'll be all over her in no time, with or without her permission."

Sesshomaru stared at her for a bit longer and walked away, "Hn." He said over his shoulder.

She took that as a yes and smiled, laughing lightly knowing that Sesshomaru had a somewhat good side, even if he would rather die than admit it. As she walked into the kitchen, she heard some hustled movement and the voice of Inuyasha as she swept past the grinning Kikyo. _"Wanna have your turn?" "Damn it, Inuyasha! What the hell's wrong with you!"_

"Miroku?" Sango inquired as she entered the now anger filled kitchen. The air tingled with relieved frustration and Inuyasha was sprawled on the floor, his hand clutching his reddened face with a shocked expression on his face. "Inuyasha?"

Sango glanced at the now fuming Kagome, who was apparently the one who caused the Hanyou to be on the floor. She noticeably calmed down, but she seemed distracted by Sango. Their eyes met and the girls clicked, an understanding passing through them as if they were twins, Kagome was just defending herself in the only way she could think of.

Miroku, on the other hand, seemed slightly bemused that the six-foot tall half-demon was knocked to the ground by a 'mere human', as the Hanyou would say. He looked angry and seemed to be studying a speck on the ground as if it would teach him rocket science and launch him into space.

Suddenly Kagome and Miroku burst out laughing, the first that she had heard from the abused girl since long before her mom's death. They had started out slowly, Miroku suppressing a grin as Kagome put a hand over her own. Then a giggle emanated from her closed fingers and hers eyes blurred with a form of tears almost foreign to her memory.

Miroku looked at her with surprise, thinking he would have been the first to explode and maybe get another smile from her, but quickly joined in with her nonetheless, the laughter escalating to such a loudness that Inuyasha covered his ears with a harsh slap and walked out the door, cursing something about "the bitch needing therapy."

Kagome gripped the edge of the counter and held her stomach, tears streaming down her face in laughter as she realized what had happened. On the edge of her consciousness, her mind dwelled on the situation seriously, but the rest of her felt happy, giddy even, that she had actually hit him, and she was laughing!

Sango quickly followed suit, laughing until they quietly sat on the kitchen chairs, giggling every time they looked at each other. The moment finally passed and they smiled bright, happiness apparent on each of their faces for a flicker of a moment before Kagome sobered down and smile, her sadness showing through it. They both looked at her, appreciating that she had even shared the moment with them, and gave her understanding smiles, exchanging knowledge in an instant of a second.

"Now, how bout that dessert?" He announced brightly as they headed towards the shop downstairs, each absorbed in their own thoughts.

**Oh Yah! Done! Well thanks for the reviews people, I hope I get more though cuz I really like them! I mean who doesn't like praise, hehe just kidding. Anyway, thanks Ayame15, Kate, Eternallove495, and Kandy123654 for the great reviews! **

**I hope you liked the chapter! But the next one will not be tomorrow, but the following day, I do have H.w. you know. **


	3. Ch3 Accidents

Hope this is good! If there are any errors, don't hesitate to review or just review anyway! It might be a while till the next chapter but I promise It will be really awesome! I will probably get the next one on Saturday... Sorry but I have school.

Disclaimer: blah blah... I don't own Inuyasha... blah blah...

ENJOY!

* * *

Chapter 3

Sango quickly followed suit, laughing until they quietly sat on the kitchen chairs, giggling every time they looked at each other. The moment finally passed and they smiled bright, happiness apparent on each of their faces for a flicker of a moment before Kagome sobered down and smile, her sadness showing through it. They both looked at her, appreciating that she had even shared the moment with them, and gave her understanding smiles, exchanging knowledge in an instant of a second. 

"_Now, how bout that dessert?" He announced brightly as they headed towards the shop downstairs, each absorbed in their own thoughts._

The words echoed in her mind as she ate gleefully, the smell of the dessert making everyone in the house, including a pissed Hanyou, come to the restaurant's kitchen and help themselves to the wonderful flan-cake. It had been three hours since they started to make the dessert and her mood had lightened considerably since the laughing fit they had had before. The cake glistened with sauce as Kagome reached for the last slice, only to be intercepted by none other than a smirking Youkai.

She pouted cutely, making Sesshomaru glance at her bemused while eating the cake, triumph clearly shown on his face. He was starting to loosen up around her and Kagome was glad for it, she hated when people felt shy around her because they didn't know how to approach her, thinking she was handicapped or something when they found out about her secrets.

Her pout turned into a slight smile as she got an idea. Reaching over the table counter where everyone was eating, she quickly took her fork and grabbed a huge portion of Sesshomaru's cake, making him arch one of those perfectly sculpted eyebrows and look at the stolen piece with mischief.

She was about to eat it when suddenly she felt a hand on her own, guiding her fork to her side and into someone's mouth. She looked incredulously to the intruder and found it to be Sesshomaru, a smile playing loosely on his lips as he chewed with vigor, making Kagome look at him with defeat.

"Whatever…" She mumbled as she gathered everyone's dishes and headed to the sink, washing the small plates quickly and disposing them into the dishwasher, wondering why people bother washing dishes if they were going to have a dishwasher do it anyway.

Sango glanced at Miroku with a look of surprise, Sesshomaru never loosened up with anyone, especially a guest. Miroku shrugged, not really interested and headed upstairs, hoping to get the last but of the scary movie marathon that had been going on all month.

"Hey Sango?" Kagome said meekly as she headed up the stairs with the rest of them, "Can I borrow your computer for a couple of hours? I need to brush up on my typing and computer skills."

"Sure, what's mine's yours." She said nonchalantly, knowing that Kagome was a whiz at computer skills and just wanted to be in top 'shape' for her 'interview' with Sesshomaru.

'_So she's committed…' _Sesshomaru thought as he passed the chatting girls, arching an eyebrow when Kagome looked his way quickly, as if a thought about him came to her mind.

"Thanks!" Kagome exclaimed, a bit more cheery than necessary, "Um… Where is it?"

She smiled, and rolled her eyes. "Over here." She said and led the excited Miko to a room next to the living room. She turned on the computer and put in her password, to prevent the men in her house from going on 'inappropriate' sites, and ironically, Kagome came to know it was 'friendship', the only word Sango knew the guys would never try.

-----------------------1 week later---------------------

"Oh…my…Gosh…" Kagome whispered deathly, her skin paling to an incredulous white and her bruises seeming to bring pain everywhere.

She brought a shaking hand to her mouth to cover her scream, but failed to note that demons were much more perceptible to hearing her muffled scream then the humans in the house were. She eyes held a terrifying blank look as she turned from the computer screen to see the two demons standing in the doorway, looking at her with concern.

Sesshomaru edged his way in, pushing his less concerned Inuyasha out of his way to look at the screen, which Kagome had apparently glued her eyes on. He looked at the message on the screen and reasoned why she was so scared, the message was from her ex-boyfriend;

_Yah, Kagome_

_Look bitch, you think u can run away and disappear like that? You think you have anywhere to go? You have no home, no family, and no one loves you. _

_Where the fuck do you get at, thinking you can leave me here with all your chores and shit to do. Oh, when you get back here, just wait for it. _

_I'll kill you for the humility you've shown me, the whole gang's out to get you, we'll catch you sooner or later, you still owe them money, and now they have double the motive to bring you back, if not kill you. I don't care if you want to come home, but you must obey whoever is in charge, and your mother would be so disssapinted that you didn't respect her wishes for you to stay with me. Damn it, Kagome! Your acting childish, there's no reason you should have run away, I was only trying to keep you off the streets when you ran off blindly so just tell me where the FUCK you are? _

_-Come the hell home!_

(A/n: I know I spelled 'disappointed' wrong! It's only to emphasize his lack of education, Kay?)

Sesshomaru glanced at the now terror-stricken Kagome and watched in silent amazement as her posture came back to normal, her heart rate slowed, her skin, though still a little on the pale side, had returned to its normal color, and her face contorted with anger, tears staining her blouse's sleeve as she angrily wiped them away.

She looked at him with seething eyes that made him almost cringe back and at the same time smile because the look reminded him of one of his own successful stares that rendered even the most poised of demons helpless.

"Fuck him to hell." She fumed as she was about to delete the message. She thought of a better idea and saved it, shaking her head in disgust. "No. I shouldn't say that."

"And pray tell may I ask why not?" Sesshomaru finally inquired, concern apparent in his eyes when she flinched at the sudden noise, suddenly noticing the company.

"Then he would get some pleasure before the torture he so deserves." Kagome replied through clenched teeth, an image of Naraku pinning her arms down came into her mind for a second and for a fleeting moment, she thought she would sell her soul just to kill him herself.

She shook her head once more at the thought. It was stupid to think of things that would give him more pleasure, knowing that Kagome was going to be tortured for the rest of eternity as he was.

Taking a deep breath, she stalked over to the door where Inuyasha was watching them, looked at him with contempt and closed the door in his face, reveling in the fact that the room was soundproof ever since Miroku complained that Sango's computer music was disturbing his cooking fung shuey. She turned, faced the smirking Youkai and leaned against the door, whimpering as she slid to the floor, cradling her knees in her arms.

"Why me?" She whispered through tightly clenched teeth, her nails biting into her skin painfully as she tried to calm herself down. She got up as her breath slowed a bit and started for the computer, intent on e-mailing Naraku back. What she was going to write, she had no idea...

"Kagome." Sesshomaru said forcefully, making her jump at the harshness of his voice, "What are you doing? You aren't going to give up and go back to him, if that's the only thing you think you can do. This Sesshomaru will _never_ allow a human to torture a defenseless woman for sheer pleasure. It is dishonorable."

"Well thanks for trusting me," Her voice dripping with sarcasm, "And no, I'm not giving up, nor am I defenseless. I'm just gonna send him an e-mail saying something like: 'I'm fine and loving the moments without you.' I don't know, your rude, mean, and unloving, what would you say _Sesshomaru-sama_?"

Disregarding her comment, he walked over to the keyboard and typed what seemed to be a word and said he was done. A smirk appeared on her face, thinking he had given up, but quickly vanished when she realized he had typed the whole e-mail. She rolled her eyes when he smirked at her reaction and started to read.

_Naraku,_

_If you think I'm coming to that rat hole of a 'home', then you've got another thing coming. I'm no slave, I can do whatever I want, whenever and totally without your permission, so don't think I wish to have you control me again. You think you've won by leaving me scared and making me believe I'm homeless, but you're so wrong I could laugh in your face and not even care because I have a new Home. I have friends who love me and I can't say the came thing for you. _

_And as for your ridiculous gang, tell them they better watch it because I have friends who won't hesitate to kill you and the whole gang, and believe me, they have more than the capability to. So why don't you just stop trying to threaten me and just realize that I'm never, and I mean __**never**__, coming back._

_-Never_

Sesshomaru watched as tears crept to the corners of Kagome's face as she read the part about killing the whole gang, knowing that the 'they' really meant him and quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She smiled and the tears came back, rolling down the side of her face as she sent the message and turned to look at him.

"I-I don't know what to say..." She chocked out as she tried to hold her composure.

"There's nothing to say," He said indifferently, his eyes saying a whole different story. "I was just saying what I would say if I was in your position."

"Well... Thanks , anyway." She said and sniffed, making the smirk on Sesshomaru's face turn into a slight grin, but he left before she could see the whole thing.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

"I wonder what's going on in there." Sango asked Miroku and Inuyasha as they finished the last movie in another movie marathon.

"Probably something stupid." Inuyasha said sulkily, mad that he had been thrown out of the obviously touchy conversation.

He watched as they came out, Sesshomaru quickly replacing his slight grin with an impassive mask, and Kagome smiling, though sadness was still apparent behind it.

He brightened when she sat next to him, after leaving Miroku with two red marks on his face when she attempted to sit beside him. Smiling, he lay back in the couch and watched the movie contentedly, not aware of Kikyo's glare at the fact that she couldn't sit next to him.

"Hey, you know its Friday." Kagome said, making everyone turn to her with questioning looks at the obvious statement. "Geez. Anyway, I was just thinking, isn't there some place to dance or something around here later? I mean it's only like 5 and we've done nothing but sit around, I wanna do something!"

Contemplating the suggestion, everyone shook their heads in agreement, Sango saying they should all meet downstairs at 8, leaving them plenty of time to get to a club where she knew the owner very well.

"Hey Kagome, come on, we gotta pick an outfit!" She said ecstatically, remembering the fun they had the night they had raided it the time before.

They approached the room, or The Arena, as Kagome had come to call it, and went through countless numbers of outfits, both of them running to the makeup area and getting the perfect matches.

Kagome's mood took at turn for the better as her mood lightened from the easy task. She felt almost like a princess as she went through one outfit to another, finally settling on something modest but hot at the same time.

Sango watched as her friend went from picking outfits with absolute confusion written on her face as to which she could try on, to knowing where each item was and which would go better when dancing this way and which shoes were best for the long night they were about to have. She laughed when Kagome kept repeating the phrase 'I just have to try this on!' and ran to the next area saying, 'No! I have to try this on!' and so on and so on.

"Ready?" Sango said as she gathered her finished outfit and walked to her bathroom where Miroku was taking a shower. She looked at Kagome mischievously, knowing he was taking to long of a shower, and flushed the toilet, walking out with Miroku in a towel, who was now red from the burning water.

"It's not funny." He said sulkily as she laughed at his pout. "She threw me out of the shower naked and didn't even let me have a chance to see her body!" He smirked when she stopped laughing and shook her head, rolling her eyes at his obvious perverted ness.

As Kagome walked upstairs, she noticed Sesshomaru had already taken a shower and had left her with an empty floor. She sighed happily and walked into the shower, turning the it on and grabbing her strawberry shampoo, noting that the red highlights she had put in last week were stating to fade.

She pondered how things could change so drastically in only a week. In the beginning, she had been sad, disoriented and scared. Now she was energetic and calm, though she still flinched when people touched her suddenly, she knew that she would probably never get out of that, and just dealt with it, glad that everyone else in the house had not treated her any different because of it.

She worried a bit about Sesshomaru's father, though, since she had gotten the job easily, surprising the Youkai with her skills. She had grown accustomed to his stoic way of being, and was extremely surprised at the difference between him and Inuyasha. While Sesshomaru may hold his composure and be extremely polite and appropriate, Inuyasha was like a time-bomb ready to explode, always wanting to get out early for the day and never really being polite unless he could get something out of it.

After she finished lathering up her body, she rinsed her hair out and put in her also strawberry conditioner, letting it stay in while she leaned against the edge of the tub and shaved her legs. She watched the razor glide across her skin effortlessly and remembered the time in her old 'home' when Naraku had to pry the razor from her hand when she tried to cut her wrists with it, thinking there was no escape. He had started tying her up from then on and washed with her for the rest of the time she stayed there.

Shaking the memory from her head, she focused on getting up, slipping slightly from the slippery bottom of the tub, and rinsed out some of the conditioner, leaving the rest to make her hair soft and luscious. She grabbed her towel from the rack and dried herself while putting on some lotion she had bought with Sango's help.

She smiled at the memory of the mall where she and Snago bought it and having to run away from the security guards when she 'accidentally' spilled a milkshake all over one of the guards who were yelling at some poor kids who were begging outside the storefront. They gave them some money and ran out the store, leaving the officer huffing as he ran out screaming.

Chuckling she grabbed one of Sango's many curling iron's and did her hair in a mass of curls cascading down her back. Smiling in approvement, she went to her makeup and applied everything but lip-gloss, knowing that when she put on her dress it would take it all off.

She finished and fixed up the bathroom, making it somewhat decent with all the crammed makeup and girl stuff crawling in it. She checked to see that everything was in order and headed downstairs, noticing that it was 15 minutes till 8. She walked to her room and dropped her dirty clothing on the floor, hoping no one got mad at her for being almost late.

She ran down the steps as fast as she could and when she thought she had almost made it to the bottom flight, she suddenly hit a brick wall. '_When did we put a wall there?'_ She thought as she fell unceremoniously into 'the wall's' legs, clinging onto them for dear life so as to not fall all the way down. '_And since when did walls have legs?_' She thought dizzily and sat on the stairs with her feet in front of her.

Sesshomaru had been wondering where Kagome was for the past couple of minutes and was walking up the stairs when suddenly she seemed to fly at him with a 'doe in the headlights' look as she plummeted to his feet and looked up with surprise. She watched the floor and scratched her head in confusion as he looked at her with amusement. Her eyes widened as she realized the position she was in and quickly got up, adjusting her skirt lower and blushing tremendously.

"Sorry!" She muttered nervously as she rushed passed him, biting her lip embarrassedly.

She walked down the last stairs, wondering what the others thought of her outfit and almost went back upstairs to change when she met the surprised eyes of her friends. She looked at them meekly and brightened when Miroku, sensing her nervousness, said what he was thinking, "Wow! Kagome you look hot!" and the others joined in, complimenting her outfit.

She flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but calmed when she saw it was just Sesshomaru, admiring her outfit with a raised eyebrow and smirk. She was wearing a silver halter top with violet stripes going down the sides of it. It was tight on her body, showing off her curves and was cut stylishly at the bottom of the shirt, making it hang loosely around her waist, allowing a nice look of her stomach without showing too much.

The shirt tied at the bottom and matched perfectly with the silver/black skirt she was wearing that reached almost to her knee. It slit at the sides, revealing a lilac under-covering that showed slightly and matched with the stripes on her shirt. Her silver high heels glittered in the bright light and her long legs were shown perfectly, the scars hidden behind makeup and time.

Loose bangles shook on her hand as she grabbed her lip-gloss from her black purse and applied it on her plump lips, her light-lilac colored eye-shadow making her eyes pop out even more. She had no blush, her skin already a rosy pink and her eyeliner made her eyes look even larger and brighter.

"So let's go!" She said as she grabbed Sango's arms and pushed them outside. They headed into Miroku's car and Sesshomaru took the men in one car and the girls went in the other, both not wishing to hear the conversations neither men nor women could stand hearing from each other.

Sango, Kagome and Kikyo all got into Sango's recently bought car and Kikyo decided to drive. They watched as Miroku, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha got in the car and led the way, the girl's knowing the directions better, but allowing the 'men' to have there macho way.

Kikyo then suddenly stopped, halting before a red light, and watched as the 'men' went ahead of them, gaining speed as they decided to race a car also filled with testosterone-crazed men. The cars raced to the next light and Sesshomaru smirked knowingly as they beat the other car easily, watching Miroku and Inuyasha high five each other and nod triumphantly to the music they were blasting.

Turning, Miroku's face drained to a pale white as he saw in slow motion Kikyo try to go through the red light. She had stopped but was in the middle of the lane, a truck coming directly in her path. The rest of them stared at the girl's car as it was hit by the oncoming 16 wheeler, tossing the car into the air and making it flip on its backside.

Sango screamed as she felt the breath from her lungs leave her and she gasped for air as she felt the world turn upside-down. She was thankfully wearing her seatbelt, but watched in horror as Kikyo unlatched hers, making Kagome hit her head on the car's top because Kikyo missed and hit her seatbelt instead. She was instantly knocked unconscious as the car hit the ground and her body tossed in the front as the car flipped over but landed upside-down again.

The car seemed to slowly blacken as Sango lost conscious herself, watching another car crash into the 16-wheeler and explode. She slightly felt movement as Kikyo looked at her bewildered and tugged on her shirt, also blacking out as her shock over took her and she slumped against Kagome's feet.

* * *

Oh yeah! Cliff Hanger! Hehe! I'lltell you what's gonna happen, the next chapter will be... 

Man if you really thought I'd tell you after a cliff hanger! Haha!

Inuyasha: Man and I was really looking forward to it!

Kagome: (**pouting)** I wanted to know what was going to happen!

Sesshomaru: Whatever, just get on with the end of this chapter Hitori, then it'll be closer to the time that you'll give us the next chapter. You humans are so impatient.

Kagome: Am not!

Inuyasha: I'm no human!

Sesshomaru: Might as well be seeing as I wasn't talking to you.

Inuyasha: Hmph!

Hitori-no-kensi: Well... Okay, I guess the chapter's done! Hoped you liked it!


	4. Ch4 Come back, Home

_Sango screamed as she felt the breath from her lungs leave her and she gasped for air as she felt the world turn upside-down. She was thankfully wearing her seatbelt, but watched in horror as Kikyo unlatched hers, making Kagome hit her head on the car's top because Kikyo missed and hit her seatbelt instead. She was instantly knocked unconscious as the car hit the ground and her body tossed in the front as the car flipped over but landed upside-down again._

_The car seemed to slowly blacken as Sango lost conscious herself, watching another car crash into the 16-wheeler and explode. She slightly felt movement as Kikyo looked at her bewildered and tugged on her shirt, also blacking out as her shock over took her and she slumped against Kagome's feet._

Chapter 4

Her vision blurred as Kagome felt a tingling in the back of her head, now a wet mangle of bloody hair. Black dots threatened to overtake her vision as she watched Sango and Kikyo blackout and fall against their seat belts.

Pain tugged at the edge of her conscious and she slowly turned her head and noticed she couldn't move her legs. She sighed when she noticed that Kikyo was making them go numb because she was laying on them, but her left arm was sitting in an awkward position. Kagome tried to move it and fire shot up her arm, it was sprained. Her brain wasn't processing the situation and she stared at it blankly.

Time went by slowly as she stared out the broken window upside-down, her body shaking involuntarily in the hot car. As if someone put a black curtain over her head, she suddenly found herself surrounded in darkness, her mind floating aimlessly.

--

Voices.

Voices!

She was sure there was someone saying something to her. She tried to focus, her eyes felt dilated and unfocused as she tried to open them and see what was in front of her.

A silver carpet was covering her. Golden eyes. An angel for sure.

She calmed in the arms of the angel and let herself drift into oblivion, glad God gave her a chance to be held by an angel.

--

Her mind drifted in and out of consciousness. She knew she was dead, she had to be if she saw an angel. But her mind refused to let her see past the blinding white that came from beyond the slits of her eyes.

…_Maybe this is what Heaven is like…_

The white faded to black as she dreamt not one dream.

--

Growling.

She was for sure now. She could hear it I the back of her mind and her eyes opened to slits as she tried to figure out what was happening. She quickly figured she wasn't in heaven when she saw a shadow pass next to her and touch her hand.

Her hand? Wait, the shadow hadn't touched her hand. Her whole arm was in a white casing and someone was stroking it. They kept repeating something. If only she could figure it out before she drifted off again.

"-Wake up…"

She caught it! She heard 'Wake up…' She felt a prick at the edge of the pain Was she… No… The blackness was coming, like a tidal wave spreading from her arm to her head, making thinking impossible. Her eyes fluttered as she drifted out into the sea of nothingness and she smiled when she caught a glimpse of her angel.

--

It was washing away now. The Tide. That horrible nothingness that tried to claim her for death, but she fought it. She didn't want to die. Not like this, not even for her angel. Her head was killing her and underneath a cover of blackness, she moved her imaginary hand to the back of her head and felt hair.

Wait. Hair? Yes. So she wasn't dreaming, she was actually moving her hand! Now if only she could see.

And away went the shadow of eyelids. Kagome looked to her left to see that the blinding white she had been seeing was just a huge lamp. Blinking, she let her eyes adjust to the bright lights around her and stared at the ceiling, hoping that the bed to her left didn't have who she thought it did.

Sango.

Tears welled up in her eyes and slid down her tinted cheeks as she looked at her friend, sleeping peacefully with a burn mark down the side of her right arm and leg. She let out a stifled cry as she looked beyond her beloved friend to Kikyo, who had her right arm in a cast and bandaging around her right hip, where her seat belt had inconveniently jabbed it self into her side.

Suddenly, Kagome felt a slight wind and she looked around strangely, knowing the only vent was on the side where Kikyo was at.

"Kagome…" She heard a voice say, and she turned to see her angel look down at her and smile.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Sesshomaru lifted his book from the desk near Kagome's bed and looked at her stir in her sleep. Her body was perfect compared to Sango, who would have a permanent burn on her right side. Thankfully, Kagome hadn't gotten burned because she was curled up in the bottom of the front seat floor.

He had pulled her out of the car and Miroku got Sango while Inuyasha got Kikyo. They were all shocked and the car that had exploded had burned Sango so badly that even unconscious she cried out when Miroku touched her there.

No one had survived the other car accident, but the police had said nothing. So when he had gone to get the couple that he had seen crash into the truck, he almost flinched at the site of their bloodied and burnt carcasses. Strangely, their masses reminding him of the bloody killer he once was. The truck driver didn't seem to care about the accident, as long as he got some money out of it. Though he was the cause of it, he seemed to think he could scrounge up some money for the damage to his truck.

--

Putting the book down, Sesshomaru walked over to Kikyo as Inuyasha stirred in his chair beside her. Looking at the sleeping Miroku, he pulled a pillow from his chair and put it behind Inuyasha's head, he wasn't going to allow a dumb headache from bad sleep make his brother act stupid when he woke up.

Then he smelt tears as a muffled cry came from Kagome's direction. He looked at her puzzled as she looked at him with awe, a strange longing apparent in her eyes.

"Kagome…" He said in a restrained whisper, sadness clear in his eyes, though his face stoic.

She blinked and the look disappeared, confusion written clearly on her beaten face. She looked at the room with a strange distant look, as if what she was seeing was 'coming back to her' and she returned her gaze to meet his.

"A-Are they going to be... alright?" She choked out, her voicing cutting sharp into the silence with just a whisper. Tears silently fell down her pale cheeks and she launched into a coughing fit, making him look at her with despair written all over his face.

He believed, no, he _knew_ it was all his fault. Had he been driving their car instead of his or watching them more carefully instead of thinking about frivolous women in the club they were going to, he could have saved them from the car accident. How, he didn't truly know, perhaps he might have overturned the 16-wheeler, or maybe he would have crashed _their _car into the truck instead, throwing Miroku out in the process, knowing he and Inuyasha could easily escape from the car after the accident without so much as a scratch. But he held that guilt, held onto it tight, because the next time he knew he was going to make sure there wasn't another lapse of judgment, meaning he would never allow there to be a 'next time'.

"They're going to be fine." Sesshomaru said quietly, awaking Inuyasha, who looked at Kagome with guilt all over his face. Sesshomaru quickly recovered from his lapse of etiquette and regained his composure and looked in the direction of his half-brother.

"I-I'm sorry. About everything," The half-breed muttered, looking away from Kagome's tear-ridden face. He had heard about her ex-boyfriend from the doctor when Miroku had to explain the scars and bruises on her body and was feeling sorry about the whole thing.

She looked at him loathingly, "Don't think you can say sorry and I'll magically be okay, I'm not dead, just hurt, you had nothing to do with it, so just shut-up and don't waste time with dim-witted apologies that aren't meant to be given."

"Pfft, Fine then. Whatever, geez."

A smirk appeared on Sesshomaru's face and he returned to his book, only to have to put it down again when Kagome asked about what had happened. He looked at her with a slight frown but it quickly faded as he reminisced about the accident. When he got to the part where he pulled them all from the car before it blew up, he heard a sob come from Kagome's throat and he looked in her direction. She had her comforter bunched in her hand and her eyes brimmed with tears.

Sighing, Sesshomaru did the most uncharacteristic thing he had ever done, he went over and sat next to her, asking if she was going to be alright. She looked at him with sad eyes and shook her head, she would be in a while.

"Sesshomaru, I have to tell you something…" Kagome whispered as he got up from the bed. He looked back at her and sat at the chair beside her, listening. "Naraku will still be looking for me, I think I'm going to leave after your father comes to see the company. I can't risk everyone's lives like this anymore. You don't know how dangerous his gang is when they try to find someone they hate, let alone someone's family. I-I hope everyone will understand…"

Sesshomaru looked at her and raised an eyebrow, trying to discern if she was serious. He thought she was so he sighed and sat back in his chair thinking. After a long Sesshomaru-like pause, he clasped his hands together and put them on the table he had been reading on. Staring at her, he noticed she was trembling, maybe from the cold, maybe from the anticipation of his answer that would most likely reflect everyone else's opinions.

"No." He answered simply, returning back to his book without looking at the now annoyed Kagome.

"No? What the hell? You really think I'm some sort of prisoner or something? I can do what I want, if you have maybe a reason or something, then maybe I will-"

"Miko, I will not repeat myself. Therefore you will cease with your jabbering and listen to me. I do not have to answer to you or explain the reason for my bidding, but you will do as I say."

"Y-You, You can't tell me what to do! If you don't have a reason-"

"Please refrain from speaking at such a level. Everyone's asleep so, to put it kindly, be quiet."

"Fine! But if you don't have a reason I will leave with or without your approval!" Kagome whispered through clenched teeth.

"Why should I bother? You should already know why." Sesshomaru stated simply.

She looked at him with contempt and stared into his golden irises, trying to figure out just what he meant. _I know everyone here would probably sacrifice their lives for me, but I can't let them do that…I can't_, Kagome thought as she glared at the Youkai.

Surprisingly, he broke their gazes to return to his book, allowing Kagome to reminisce in peace and whatever other emotion he didn't want to know about.

Hours passed and Sango regained consciousness. Unaware of the silence between Kagome and Sesshomaru, she looked over to them and remarked on the fact that a bomb could go off and they wouldn't know, so absorbed they seemed in their own thoughts.

"Hey Sango, nice to see you too." Kagome replied sarcastically, shifting her gaze to her sleepy friend.

"Um... So what am I doing in here- Oh..." Sango said as she recalled the accident.

Her eyes widened a fraction and a deep sense of sadness came over her as she realized her state. She cried out when she looked down at her burns and silently cried as she realized what had happened. Miroku held her and they talked quietly for a while.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

"Damn it! Where is she!" Naraku yelled as he backhanded his messenger.

"I DON'T KNOW!" She screamed frantically. "I CAN'T FIND HER- AHH!"

She slumped against the couch after he knocked her with his beer bottle. She wiped her mouth and wiped the blood on her dirty skirt. She was going to kill her sister. 'How could she leave him? She deserved to be here and be punished, not me!' She thought as she dodged his second clumsy hit.

He stumbled into a wall and knocked the stand that held the phone. It tumbled on the floor and he flopped to down to it, awkwardly holding it out to the woman on the couch.

"Find HER with THIS!" He said as he threw it at her head. He missed and cursed.

"I'll find her! Just Stop!" The woman said as she grabbed the phone and jumped when it rang.

"What did you do?" Naraku said rudely, pushing himself onto the couch beside her.

She unconsciously scooted farther away from him, and eventually got up. He waited impatiently for her to finish talking. Tapping his beer bottle on the edge of the arm of the chair after each swig of beer.

"…Yes… This is her sister… At the hospital?... Hmm… No…. I can come instead… Yes that would be great. No one has to know." She turned to her father and smiled triumphantly, "I found her."

O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Eyes cast down, Kagome watched the pair console each other and wished she could do something to ease their pain. She felt lucky enough that she had gotten away with just a sprained wrist and a couple of bruises, now looking at the burnt Sango and bruised up Kikyo.

She was about to ask Sesshomaru if they could return home so that she could leave the hospital and stop being a burden emotionally and pocket–wise when she noticed her sister staring at her through the blinds.

"No…" Kagome whispered as a shiver passed through her body. She could see that the nurse held a bright devious smile on her face and realized that the nurse had obviously called her sister to pick her up and send her 'home'. She whimpered and Sesshomaru caught the look of pure fear in her eyes and looked up towards the window to see a strange sight.

"Kagura...?" He said with curiosity apparent in his voice pertaining to the fear Kagome was showing from seeing his former employee and mistake.

The Wind sorceress finally opened the door to the room with a grand deceiving smile. Her eyes flickered towards her former boss but she quickly focused back to Kagome, her sister. Her perfectly blood red-manicured nails reached into her purse to grab a sleek cell phone and quickly called a number on speed dial. "Yes, she's here Naraku."

"No!" Kagome screamed, waking Kikyo, who watched the scene with curious eyes.

Kagura flashed a devilish grin as she put away the phone and easily evaded the wounded Miko. Her eyes flared with over confidence as she tried to shove Kagome to the ground. Thankfully, Sesshomaru had assessed that the situation was in need of his help and he quickly separated the two and guided Kagome to her bedside as he shoved Kagura to his former seat.

"What's going on Kagura?" His eyes seething from the anger that was building up in him.

"You know her?" Kagome said in an acid voice, her voice raising an octave higher than before.

Kagura smirked and crossed her legs, thanking that her brother-in-law had let her come and get her bitch of a sister, Kagome. It was far more interesting than she had thought it would be, and the look on her sister's face when she saw her was priceless, something she would remember when she left with her modeling agency for Paris.

"Kagura," Kagome's anger leaking out to each of the syllables, "What the hell have you done!?"

"I've just done what's best for you," Kagura said in a high-pitched voice, glad she could get her revenge on idiotic sister, "You were always so wanting of his attention, now you have it. Sis to sis, I've made your family more happy."

"You called him." Sesshomaru said in a menacing whisper, making the sorceress flinch and slightly regret her choice of coming alone.

"Yes." She said simply, failing to hide the slight tremor behind it.

"You-"

"Wait," She said before she could hear his threat. She knew him too well to know how this would go down. "There's nothing you can do. Either way he already knows where she is and is coming to get her, sending a cab for her to take home. If she decides to leave and run away, he will just kill them." She said in a conniving voice while gesturing toward Sango and the others.

"And what's he going to do if I kill you?" Sesshomaru whispered with a sinister look in his eyes.

She gasped as she realized he was whispering in her ear with her back pressed firmly against his chest. She tried to move forward and found out she couldn't, his hand was firmly across her stomach and the other scraping across her neck. She shivered and felt his fangs nick her neck, his eyes never leaving hers. Flinching, she tried to look away and struggled to look at the floor.

"Nothing, am I right?" He said in a seductive and chilling voice. "You want to stay alive, you will convince him Kagome was not here. At least until she leaves. I will not have you bring her back to that hell hole of a house."

"…But…how?"

"I don't care." Sesshomaru said as he pushed her through the door. He was ready to bribe the nurse if threatening didn't work, but then again, since when did his threatening not work? He smirked slightly, but then remembered that he needed to get Kagome out of her situation. He turned to her.

"What did you say to her?" Kagome asked curiously. She watched as her sister reached for her cell phone as she left the hallway, trembling so much that she could barely hit the buttons.

"I just told her to fix what she had done." He responded nonchalantly, but she could tell he was irritated.

"No." Kagome said. She got out of her bed and grabbed her clothes that were lying beside her. She hurried to the door, and was stopped by a wall. Or rather a chest.

"Get out of my way, Sesshomaru." She said with irritation.

"And where are you going?"

"Home…"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

…**1 Week later…**

"Naraku, the nurse was wrong. That's why I haven't called in a couple days. I'll call you when I find her."

"Oh, really? Then who's sitting in front of me?..."

**AHHHHH!! Hope you liked it!! Yah It's another cliffy, I'll explain... Wait! I'm not going to tell ya! You'll just have to wait!! Muahhhahahahaha..**

**Sesshomaru: Hitori-no-kensi-san you are an idiot.**

**Hitori: Sesshy-kun your so cute when you talk all big like that. I remember when you were just a little demon trying to impress your dad. You were soo cute in that little outfit of yours! With that little bow on the back that your-**

**Sesshomaru: You will cease your banter woman.**

**Hitori: -brother didn't want anymore. I can't believe you took it behind his back! I bet-**

**Sesshomaru: How many times must I say-**

**Hitori: -you still have it! See *_Grabs a worn-out bow from a hidden pocket in Sesshomaru's outfit*_**

**Sesshomaru: *_whispering* _You will hand that over.**

**Hitori: *_Yelling* _IM GONNA TELL INUYASHA! IM GONNA TELL INUYASHA!!**

**Sesshomaru: *_Covers her mouth and walks with her in his arms*_ Now you can't.**

**Hitori: *_Thinking*_ As if I would want to anymore in these arms.**

**Hehe lmoa**

And sorry people!! My Sis uploaded the wrong file!! I changed it now!! Thanks reviewers!!

Hey, sorry it's taken me so long to put this chapter up, but more than 3 people have died in my family these last couple of months and it's been hard. Now I'm just getting over what's happening, so bare with me faithful fans.


	5. Ch5 The best week? Part One

Chapter 5

+ One Week earlier+

"You are not leaving." Sesshomaru said as he watched her pack, she was determined not to get everyone in trouble or killed by her ex-boyfriend, so Kagome decided that she had had enough of a break.

She hesitated in her answer, thinking about how they had left Sango and Kikyo the day before at the hospital as soon as Kagura had left. She hoped they would understand.

"I'm tired, I want to go... Ho-...To his house. It was wrong for me to live off you guys for so long. I'm going to finish the work at your company, like I said, but I'm leaving after that. I-I can't let- " Kagome stopped and gasped when he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to him, which made her blush ten shades darker and look to the floor. He was acting out of character, but at this point, he didn't care, he wondered how this woman could make him think that, but it was true.

He gazed into her eyes, which were now brimming with tears. She looked at him with sadness and fear, "Why?! You know I can-" He stopped when she tried to push him away and shook her head furiously.

"No one's going to get hurt anymore because of me!" She looked at him with fury, but the tears kept streaming down her face and she impatiently wiped them away. "I know what you were going to say! You were going to try to kill him right?!"

He nodded, confused but sure about that fact, and she yelled again before he could answer, "Well, you can't! Doing-"

"I will kill him if I wish to-"

"That's not it! No one's going to be killed because of me! NO ONE!! I don't care that all this is happening, no one can die because of me! I-I'm... not worth it..." She fell into his chest, her arm still his hand, and cried, her breathing becoming erratic and uneven as the sobs continued.

"Kagome...chan..." Sesshomaru said in a low voice, letting her limp hand fall to her side.

Sighing, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She yelled, tears still in her eyes, "Sesshomaru! Put me down!"

Watching the floor move without her assistance, she was surprised when he deposited her on his bed. Suddenly, she remembered something.

"Sesshomaru, you... you called me by my name..."

He looked at her, smirking inwardly at the complete irrelevance of the subject and the fact that he hadn't even noticed it, "Kagome is your name, is it not? Or do you prefer another?"

"No.. It's just...Never mind..." She sniffled and noticed that her arm was healed. She would have to thank Sesshomaru later about using his money to get the best doctor in town.

He nodded, walking to his bathroom and handed her a couple of tissue while he got some ointment from the cupboard.

Applying the ointment to her bruises that she had acquired from the accident, he smirked as she looked at him with confusion and noticed that she was still mad at him for throwing her on the bed.

"This is going to feel cold and sting." He said, obviously warning her, but she reacted as if she hadn't heard him,

"Ouch! What is that? It hurts!"

Rolling his eyes at her, he finished applying the ointment to her arm. He put the medicine away and was about to speak when she exclaimed, "It's gone... the bruises, how did you do that? Thanks..."

He nodded again, and Kagome realized that he was still staring at her, his golden orbs reflecting his confused emotions, and she look at the floor once again, unsure of what to do.

Tears came again, as she thought of the fact that she would probably never see him again after the week had passed, and she leaned forward, sobs overtaking her. She didn't want this! She wanted it to stay as it was, without any drama, just her working quietly in front of Sesshomaru's office, and coming home to her friends. She felt a hand on her shoulder and took it into her own, turning towards his chest and crying into it.

Minutes passed by and Sesshomaru thought of nothing except how to make the stubborn girl realize that she needed to stay, for whose sake, he wasn't sure. He frowned at the confusion the foolish woman was making for him. He knew he could kill her former boyfriend, but that would upset her even more, not that he cared in the least amount, but he didn't want to make the situation worse.

He even thought that he might force her to stay, but he discarded that as too ridiculous. He had his reputation to hold, and forcing a woman to stay against her own wishes was ungentlemanly. (A/N: Yeah! He's getting closer!!)

When her cries quieted to dry sobs and her breathing became semi-even, he pulled her away from his chest and raised an eyebrow, "Now, there will be no mention of this subject until after my father leaves, you may make your final decision then... And I will stand by what ever you wish to do."

She smiled while wiping her tears, "I-I'm sorry, sure. I wish I-I wasn't such a crybaby, and I cried on your haori... I'm so-"

"We will discuss this conversation at a better time. Right now, we will go meet Sango-san and Inuyasha's wench downstairs, they have arrived." Sesshomaru watched Kagome as she wiped the last of her tears and cleared her throat. She got up and went to the bathroom saying she would 'freshin' up' while he went and greeted the company downstairs.

As he arrived downstairs, after ridding himself of his previous haori, Inuyasha looked at him perplexed, having smelled the salty tears from outside. He was about to open his big mouth and ask what was wrong, but Sesshomaru eyed him with a deathly glare and asked to speak with him.

"What, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked impatiently and quite rudely.

"I will disregard your lack for respect for my title this time, since this is not the place or time. Since I can tell that your blatant disregard for one's feelings are evident to most everyone, I will ask you to not mention Kagome and her frame of mind at this time to anyone in this house, especially Kagome-san." He said to him as they walked along a hallway to the last door, Inuyasha's room.

He opened the door and walked inside into what to anyone would be the most chaotic and disorganized room in spite of the fact that it was inhabited by the messiest of them all.

Light shone through a partially covered window that was sporting a very embarrassing silk bra. A streak of pink and black flashed across the room and a dirty clothes basket top closed lightly, the undergarment disappearing with the swift movement. Across from the window sat a lofty crimson chair in which seemed to be the only unoccupied area to sit on, the floor covered with magazines and clothes and the bed covered with ruby red sheets that the Tai-Youkai knew wasn't sanitary enough to sit on.

Swiveling in the seat with as much dignity one could muster in a revolving chair, Sesshomaru turned towards the desk that the chair had previously been turned towards and frowned at the dismal state of the oak wood escritoire. He eyed the laptop that was sitting haphazardly on the top and could tell from the white ends of papers that stuck out of the drawers that they were just as disorganized as the rest of the room.

To the right sat a stereo on a small library bookcase filled with DVDs that were turned backwards, so that no could read the names. Comprehending, Sesshomaru nodded and looked further on, past the door on his right, to the second door. Light could be seen through the crack of the door, and with his perceptive eyes, so were more _interesting_ pieces of clothing littering the floor of the closed room. It seemed tiled, unlike the carpeted floor of the occupied room, and so he assumed it was his half brother's bathroom.

Random assortments of books, bags of clothing, CDs, cases for what seemed to be filled with work papers, littered the rest of the right corner. Beside that came the bed again, where he found Inuyasha stationed at as he looked at the room with displeasure. A large closet filling the rest of the left side of the room. Ceiling lifted, the windows had a door-like presence in the room, making their shadows plays tricks in the light.

"Hm... Seems that you have," Sesshomaru paused and glanced around the roomed with an air of superiority and aloofness, "... 'redecorated' this place since the last time I visited," Inuyasha grunted at this comment, but Sesshomaru continued as if there was no interruption looking dead at the half breed, "There will be no mention of this to anyone else of the house. I have been using my contacts to find out more information on the miko's husband, he has caused enough strife in this house than I would like to have here, and a distressed woman who cannot take care of her own problems cannot be something I can just sit by and ignore in my own house."

"Well why the hell are you telling _me_ this? And what's the _real _reason you're helping Kagome-san? You've never helped anyone be-"

"I already explained why I am helping her. She is a nuisance and I am tired of this. It is interrupting my work, so you will _assist_ me in finding him and killing him-"

"Ha! So you need help!? So the _Great Tai-Yoikai_can't do it himself!" Inuyasha laughed at this, then laughed louder when he saw the glare from his half-brother.

Suddenly, the foolish Hanyou found himself pinned to the wall, his feet a foot off the bedspread and his brother's own feet gracefully on his sheets. He gasped for air and gazed into the blood-red eyes of the pissed off Tai-Yoikai, and began to regret his chosen words, for he did wish to help and was angry that his brother had not mentioned the notion of getting the human before.

"I will not be laughed at by a mangy _Hanyou _for trying to assist someone at a faster rate." He released Inuyasha and got off the bed, "I have other matters to attend to. You will help and you will not complain or mention this to the others, especially Kagome-san."

With that, Sesshomaru headed out the door, leaving an angry Inuyasha to ponder on the thought of what he was 'really' working on other than Kagome's work, though the half-breed quickly dismissed the thoughts, it wasn't like him to ponder on things he didn't care to know. Walking swiftly, he caught up to his brother and passed him, as they had reached the lounge room and had joined the others.

The talk immediately changed between the two, though the others noticed the stiffness and glares they were shooting at each other, well, that Inuyasha was shooting at the stoic Sesshomaru, but quickly dismissed any thoughts about it when Kagome entered the room, it was almost standard for the brothers to have rows between themselves.

The day passed by quickly after that, Sesshomaru receiving a mysterious box in the mail, and after seeing that it had come from a previous 'secretary' had briskly walked to his floor and had remained locked up there for the rest of the evening.

Kagome also rushed to her room, trying to finish up her days worth of work that she had not done for Sesshomaru. Leaving the others quickly with that excuse, after also noticing that Sango was about to ask about her tear-red eyes.

Shrugging it off, Sango and Miroku went downstairs and prepared the cooks for the next day meals, since they had had to cancel all reservations that day due to Miroku being too worried to work and Sango in the hospital till after 2 p.m. They were glad to be by themselves after everything settled, all the reservations had had to be reorganized, with some reservation times clashing with others reservation times, but all was done by 7.

Cheerfully, they watched Kikyo march out of the house, exclaiming, "I don't give a fuck why you need to help her, but she doesn't come before US!" And Inuyasha pleading after her with commentary and yelling from her in-between pauses, "Look, she's not better than you, just more important at this time-...I mean-...Yes! You're more important-...But I still have to help-...No, I can't just stop helping her-...Oh just get over her! Are you seriously jealous?!-... No I didn't mean that!-...Well then forget you!" And he stomps back upstairs, to the amused couple, who knew that though he had said that, he was going to call her by the end of the day and plead with her to come back, and she would, because she always fell for his act.

A floor above, they heard Kagome scream, and they rushed up there, only to find that she was just surprised that all the water had gone cold because Sesshomaru had used up all the water. Deciding to watch, the couple laughed when the Tai-Yoikai just shrugged and smiled, saying that she should pay for her own hot water. Steaming, Kagome stomped back to the shower and took a cold shower, swearing she would make him pay.

Done with the drama, the couple decided to watch another movie and quiet settled in the house.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Kissing under the fading sunlight, hands moved under the covers of the couch, and both opened their eyes. Understanding each other in a moment's silence, they quickly walked to their room and the shut of the door was heard in the silent house.

The door belonged to none other than Miroku and Sango, and nothing was heard from them as they settled in for the night. Kagome came down at around 10, hoping to watch some TV by herself, only to find the couch occupied by a very relaxed and sleeping Tai-Yoikai.

She decided it better to sit beside him and watch the TV, deciding, stubbornly, that that was the place she had came down to sit and she didn't care if it awakened the annoying demon. He had already made her day when he decided to take all of the hot water, but his smirk afterwards made her want revenge.

Plunking herself down hard on the cozy rose**-**colored sofa, she ignored the sleeping companion completely, not noticing that he had indeed woken up and was glaring at her.

One eye squinting while the other closed, Sesshomaru glared at the woman beside him, who had so impolitely sat down beside him. The couch being too small for both of them and some respectable space, they ended up too close for his comfort, and her attitude was making the situation worse, for he really didn't care that she was sitting beside him. Thinking that perhaps the others were occupying the other couches and seats, he looked around and opened both eyes, noticing that she was sitting beside him for no reason.

To make matters worse, when she noticed he was awake, he thought perhaps that she thought that his feet were taking up too much space on the cramped couch, so she moved them for him, depositing them on the floor and moving hers up where his had previously been. All the while, he glared at her, but she seemed completely ignorant of his efforts, even sighing from comfort when she settled in.

"Kagome-san." He said through clenched teeth, his eyes closed for concentration so as not to call her what he really wanted to.

"Yes?" She asked innocently, as if she had just noticed he was there and had not invaded his space, moved his legs from there original spot, and woken him up.

He didn't say anything more, annoyed that if he just picked her up and deposited her on another couch, he would make her mood a bit more ridiculously angry. She then shrugged, smiling all the while, and went back to watching her show, as if he was just saying her name for no reason.

He closed his eyes and decided to give her one last chance, three strikes and she was out.(A/N: The first being him glaring at her.)

He repeated her name, "Kagome." And when she didn't answer him, he decided he'd had it. Smirking as an idea popped into his devious head, he got up and Kagome stretched even farther, thinking that her prey had given up and that she had gotten her revenge. She was far from right.

Smiling now, he stood in front of her, and she looked up at him, frowning at first from the lack of vision of the TV, then widening her eyes, she knew he didn't smile for nothing. Deciding that it was better to move, she quickly tried to get up and dodge the incoming hand from the pissed but smiling Sesshomaru.

Laughing despite himself, he quickly moved to compensate the dodge and picked the struggling girl up, who, he knew, was not going to give in without a fight. He grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her above his shoulder, her breath coming out in a rush. He chuckled as he headed towards the stairs, her breath coming back as she yelled for him to put her down.

"Sesshomaru! Stop it! I'm not some doll to pick up, put me dow-" She stopped when she realized that he was not heading towards the other couch as she thought, but instead the stairs, to their shared floor. "Sesshomaru, no. No! PUT ME DOWN! I am NOT going up those stairs with you carrying me! You going to drop me!-"

He stopped, still smiling, "Do you really think that I would drop you?"

"Well... ok No.. but you!-"

"Then shut-up." He said as he continued to walk towards the stairs. Thinking to make her pay even more, he decided that it was better to run up to his destination, maybe that would make her shut up.

And it did. Noticing the increase of speed, she was about to shout when he reached the first step and sprinted up the stairs, making her instincts set in and she tightened her grip on his waist and held on, her eyes tightly closed and her mouth firmly shut. Trying to think of nothing but holding on, she didn't even notice when he stopped.

He chuckled again, and was about to take her off of his shoulder when he noticed that she was still clinging on, as if him holding her didn't assure her safety. Unwrapping her arms from around his stomach he placed her on the bed that was now in front of her. Laughing at the confusion written on her face, he headed towards the bathroom, locking the door leading out to the hallway.

Kagome opened her eyes and realized she was in a large silver-and-lilac master bedroom, the walls painted silver with one wall, behind the bed, that was a light lilac. She glanced at the laughing demon in front of her and watched as he locked the door, and suddenly realized that this was his room. She was about to ask him about the puzzling action when he disappeared through another door, a large bathroom.

Mesmerized, she decided to look around the room, and noticed that she was sitting on an elegant mahogany bed, with tower-like posts along the edge. The coverlet was silk, stripped with a lighter silver and plum purple. Multiple cushions and pillows of similar colors adorned the bed, slightly covering the high headpiece of a simplistic and plain design.

Her hands grazed over the pattern of the silky fabric as her eyes wandered to the large, semi-circular rug covered in fur. The pattern was strange, so she got off the bed to look at it further and gasped, realizing that it was a picture of a waning moon, with huge, gash-like marks fading into the snow-white sphere. The edges looked worn and old, as if the gashes not only had worn out the bright jewel, but had time also. Mesmerized, Kagome reached out to touch the breathtaking picture, and gasped again, when she felt that the gashes were not real, and the fur flawlessly cool and soft.

Deciding to sit on it, her fingers weaved their way in and out of the warm fur distractedly as she glanced around the rest of the grand room. To the left, curving along the corner, lay a large couch, a velvety throw covering its expanses. The throw had another moon on it, this time full, with three lilac-colored stripes covering the edges of the daunting image. The couch itself was filled with light gold and silver stripes, ending in a blend of silver and gold on the bottom.

A pace beside it stood a door that seemed to lead to the closet, there was no other door beside the bathroom, so Kagome assumed that was it. Turning a corner, the bathroom door stood slightly ajar beside it, and she could hear the gentle swish of water coming out of the faucet, the light glancing off the polished, dark wooden floors.

Across from the bed stood a crackling hearth, giving the room warmth and a unique glow. The brick was black and matched the color of the two large speakers on either side of the fireplace. On top, hovering as if on thin air, stood a large flat screen TV, taking up the rest of the space above the black bricks. More to the right, stood a small hallway that held two pictures of crudely drawn people in front of a large two or three story house. The black door to the hallway in front of her room was at the end of this miniature hallway.

Outside and to the right wall of the hall were two large bookshelves filled with books of all shape and size. The books reached almost to the top of the tall ceiling, but they were quite taller than any regular ceiling, a small and dusty ladder standing quietly between them. A well-built and spacious desk sat beside them, with a large leather chair parked in its depths. Finally, after an exciting scout, Kagome saw the full room and continued to lay on the comfy floor.

"I see that you like my room." Said a quiet voice, having gotten out and seen Kagome's wide-eyed discovery of his room. He chuckled as she looked at him with contempt. It faded, "I haven't laughed like that in a while," he added absentmindedly as he too looked around and settled his eyes on her long legs.

She just stared and continued to be silent. Sighing, she got up and was about to leave when she was grabbed by Sesshomaru. "Let go!" She shouted at him as he calmly held and tightened his grip on her arm, his claws slightly digging into her skin.

"You annoy me, you pay." He said with a smirk. Still holding her arm, he moved towards the bed and sat.

"What?" She said after a couple of silent minutes, he seemed to be thinking about something and she knew it wouldn't be good.

"Since you decided to interrupt my nap and invade my space downstairs, I'm going to do the same thing." He looked at her with a mysterious glint and smirk.

"So? Oh no, the all-powerful Tai-Yoikai, Sesshomaru-sama, is going to break my poor defenseless heart by sitting in my spot on the couch, boo-hoo." Kagome threw up her empty hand up for emphasis and rolled her eyes.

He smirked even more, "No, that's _way_ to simple. No, I'm going to mess with you're sleep too. By making you sleep with me."

Suddenly, silence overtook the room. Kagome looked at him loathingly, trying to discern if he was telling the truth. As it dawned over her, her frown faded, turning towards fright, and she tried, again in vain, to jerk away from his grasp, only to have him tighten again and smirk even more deviously.

"You're going to _**WHAT**_?!" She half-shouted in a panicked voice, her voice heading toward a higher pitch with each syllable.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

**Okay, so this ends this part, and this is only part 1! I'm sooooo sorry for the delay, but I wanted these chapters perfect, both out at the same time, and reviewed. But my computer crashed and was out for weeks, the internet company actually having to come and fix out router and replace a faulty wire. [[My dad had tried to fix it and Really messed it up...]]**

**Hope you like this as much as I do, **_**and please review and tell me any mistakes, since I don't have the other chapters on copy, and so I had to write from memory**_**. **

**As a clearer-upper (I know that isn't a word) Kagome's arm becomes healed by extremely great doctors and the fact that it was only sprained slightly helped the healing process, or something like that... And if I haven't said it before, Sesshomaru has two arms... Its just really easier to write that... unless I said he only has one... well, review...**

**Hope you like the next chapter:**

**A dream week- Part 2**


	6. Ch5 The best week? Part Two

Part 2

"_So? Oh no, the all-powerful Tai-Yoikai, __**Sesshomaru-sama**__, is going to break my poor defenseless heart by sitting in my spot on the couch, boo-hoo." Kagome threw up her empty hand up for emphasis and rolled her eyes._

_He smirked even more, "No, that's way too simple. No, I'm going to mess with you're sleep too. By making you sleep with me."_

_Suddenly, silence overtook the room. Kagome looked at him loathingly, trying to discern if he was telling the truth. As it dawned over her, her frown faded, turning towards fright, and she tried, again in vain, to jerk away from his grasp, only to have him tighten again and smirk even more deviously._

"_You're going to __**WHAT**__?!" She half-shouted in a panicked voice, her voice heading toward a higher pitch with each syllable. _

Chapter 5

"Not _I'm _going to, _you're _going to sleep with me, seeing as you thought it was so funny to deprive me of a rare nap." Sesshomaru said in a slow and deliberately calming voice, trying to calm the shakes that were coming from the panicking woman in front of him. He didn't expect that kind of response, maybe one of anger and loathing, like the first response she had, but the fear, the panic, he had forgotten, "You can watch TV and read or whatever, but you are sleeping here and that's final."

"Why?" She asked in a child-like voice, seeming to come out of her panic and head towards the anger that was building in her chest.

"I just told you why." He said and moved further up on the bed, his hand still holding her arm and causing her to move onto it with him.

"No, I meant, why... why would you want to sleep with me?" She asked inquisitively, deciding that since she couldn't leave with him there, she could make him as uncomfortable and miserable as she was.

He was silent for a moment and she smirked, but it faded when he glared at her, "I will not answer such a ridiculous question. You already know why you're sleeping with me."

"Don't I have a choice?" She spat angrily, watching as he tossed the remote to her from atop his pillow and shrugged further into the covers.

He smirked at her question and closed his eyes, letting her hand go when she had gotten under the other side of the bed sheets, "No."

She eyed him suspiciously and was watching him when he suddenly spoke again.

"And don't even think of leaving during the night. I may be asleep, but I will hear and smell you leave, and I will bring you back as many times as I need to." He smirked as he heard a puff of breath and a murmur from her. "And I will restrain you if need be." He added when the TV came on a moment later.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Hours later, Kagome settled in for bed and clicked off the TV, having already tried to escape and being brought swiftly back. She had considered trying it again, this time _locking _her door to her room, but decided against it, seeing as he probably had the key to her room anyway and would probably break down the door if he didn't, not to mention lock her up in his room. And she was more afraid of that happening then anything else, so she just frowned and sighed loudly, hoping to get a ruse out of him, but he just swung his hand over her waist and she shut up, removing the hand and turning around, sleep overcoming her.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Breakfast..." She murmured as the scent of frying bacon and eggs overloaded her sense of smell. Groaning loudly, she got up and stretched her arms, noticing that Sesshomaru was still fast asleep beside her.

Hoping for more revenge and shrugging off the thought of him doing something worse to her, she smiled widely and yawned. Getting up from the bed, she crawled over to his side and, after discerning that he seemed still slightly asleep, jumped on top of him, her knees on each side of his chest and yelled, "TIME FOR BREAKFAST, SESS-" But didn't get to finish.

"What, exactly, were you trying to accomplish with that scream when I was right beside you?" Said the companion that was previously underneath her. Somehow, right when she had screamed in his face, he had gotten her from on top of him, to under and now she was looking up at him, her long ebony hair seeming to tangle in with his silvery locks as he glared at her from above.

His eyes icy and his face contorted with anger, Sesshomaru breathed deeply and focused on the human underneath him. Wondering where the strange anger had come from, he fought it back, controlling his features to one of mild surprise and looked into the eyes of the prey under him. Finally, the anger disappeared and he stared into the face below him, wondering if the anger was on his or her sake.

A breath away from his face, she opened her mouth to say something and decided against it, this morning Sesshomaru seemed way too unpredictable for her comfort. Wrists locked in his hands, she tried to escape from the hold, ignoring his comment completely.

Suddenly, as quickly as the blink of an eye, he released his hold of her and straitened up, massaging his shoulders and bathing in the sunlight from the window behind his bed, still resting on her stomach. Annoyed, Kagome pushed herself up by her elbows and cleared her throat, hoping that he would get off of her and allow her to change into some decent, un-slept in clothes.

He smirked again and was about to refuse when he remembered the food waiting downstairs and quickly headed towards the bathroom, taking a quick shower and putting on a black suit and tie for work.

Kagome, after also taking a shower, washed her hair and put it in a half bun, the rest of it curling down to her back. Putting on a light pink button-down and a black knee-long pencil skirt, she headed downstairs with her high-heels in her hand.

Heading downstairs, she massaged her temples with her free hand and dangled the heels in the other. The smell of bacon, eggs and waffles suddenly hitting her as if a brick wall, making her close her eyes and breathe in the wonderful smell.

As she opened her eyes, she came upon a scene of utter chaos, Inuyasha in a chokehold by Sesshomaru and Miroku cowering under the glare and finger of Sango. Laughing lightly, she placed herself at one of the unoccupied seats and was about to begin eating when she looked up and noticed that the fighting had ended and all were gazing at her. All except a suspicious looking Tai-Yoikai, who was looking rather unlike himself, his eyes seeming to focus only on a spot on the table as if there was a microscopic animal that interested him more than life itself.

Only when Sango cleared her throat reproachfully did the others snap out of their strange stares and began eating their food and talk about nothing in particular, Inuyasha going on and on in particular about how wonderful the weather seemed and how he was going to go out as soon as breakfast was over.

"Okay, stop. What's going on?" Kagome said after noticing that everyone was still acting peculiar, avoiding her gaze completely.

"Oh! Nothing at all, Kagome-san." Sango said in a high pitch before the others could say anything.

Shrugging it off again, everything went normal again and breakfast continued and ended with no other strangeness.

Until the evening, as she was clearing up her desk after a long talk to Sesshomaru's father about the labor costs and how she agreed with him that the company had much work to do to, Inuyasha approached her, Kikyo in tow, and asked her about his father. She was about to answer when Kikyo interrupted and asked bluntly, "Did you really sleep with him?"

"Sleep with who?" Kagome asked, puzzled by the frankness but also by the sudden, uniqueness of the question, Sesshomaru completely out of her mind.

"Sesshomaru!" Kikyo said with a smirk and a laugh, "You know, the one who's usually so rude and obnoxious? The almighty Sesshomaru, done in by a freeloading, sonofa_bitch_ who can't even take care of her own man." She threw her hands up and fell melodramatically into Inuyasha's arms, who was looking ironically like an apologetic dog on a short leash, "I'm so glad I got out of that house that day. I wouldn't want to hear you're pathetic screams of exstac-"

"Shut up, you bitch!" Kagome yelled fiercely, her eyes ablaze with hatred for the woman in front of her. Her arms automatically became fists and when Kikyo cackled again, she grabbed her new opponents hand and flung her from Inuyasha's hold.

A trickle of blood escaped from the cut above Kikyo's eye as she got up from the desk she was thrown into. She got up, glaring at her fist-drawn adversary and drew her hair into a bun, she was going to kill Kagome for messing with her face. Hair secure, Kikyo grabbed hold of a stapler, the first thing in her reach, and tossed it at the miko, all the while waiting for an open.

Dodging it, Kagome ran up to her and punched her straight in the stomach, causing Kikyo to double over and clutch her stomach. Quick to her feet, Kikyo looked at the now frightened and confused Inuyasha, yelling at him to do something to help her. Remembering what had happened in the kitchen, Inuyasha shook his head and tried to think of another option, also not wanting the fight to be unfair or unreasonable.

Another punch flew, Inuyasha knew not from whom it came from, and he watched, helplessly as the two girls circled. Kikyo throwing a punch, Kagome dodging. Kagome kicking low, Kikyo moving out of the way. The uncalled-for fight ended abruptly when a voice was heard.

"Stop." And the seemingly courageous and authoritative voiced man grabbed hold of one of their hands, Kagome's, gently, and she slowly unclenched her fist, fire slightly receding from her eyes, "Back-off." He whispered loud enough for Kikyo to hear, and she looked at him loathingly and left, Inuyasha now in her tow.

Powerful hands gripping her waist and wrist, Kagome turned her head away from his and looked at the ground, her cheeks a fiery red from the fight and her breath slowing from the lost adrenaline.

"You had no reason to fight outside my office," He said, his golden orbs focusing on the sunset outside the glass wall as he let her go and walked to her desk.

"Yes I did, Sesshomaru. You heard her, I know you did." Kagome said, sounding like an stubborn and annoyed young child who had just gotten her favorite toy taken away.

"There will be no fighting in this building. Pack your things."

"Are you firing me?!"

He chuckled lightly, his voice dropping a note and his eyes turning towards her, "No, why would I do that?"

A silence came, as if just a stranger passing by and lingering enough to cause worry, and Kagome packed up her stuff, under the curious eye of Sesshomaru, and they walked to the elevator, music drowning the unwanted guest.

They reached the parking valet and Sesshomaru asked them to get his car, saying that he would take Kagome home instead of the probably busy Sango. Nodding, she entered the car and he dismissed his driver, saying he would rather drive today.

Looking out the window, Kagome fiddled with a loose string on her purse and watched as cars passed them. Thinking, she sighed and turned toward him, knowing he would answer truthfully.

"At the dinner table, it was all about us... wasn't it? The choke hold, the arguing... even the silence and strange glaring, it was all about them thinking that I slept with you?"

Staring straightforward, he didn't reply until a couple minutes later and after Kagome had thought he wasn't going to reply at all, "You did sleep with me."

"That's all you're going to-Wait, you made me sleep with you! So don't go saying stuff like that as if it was a two-way decision." She crossed her arms and glared out the window, adding in a whisper, "They all think it was... like something more then that? I mean, you did correct them right?"

He didn't answer right away and she took that as his answer, "You didn't! Why didn't you tell them what really happened?! I mean I'm not some loose cannon ready to sleep with what whoever I see! I bet they think that now I'm going to sleep with every hot guy I-" She stopped suddenly and flushed a light pink, hoping he didn't catch that last part.

He raised a delicate eyebrow and smirked but didn't comment on the phrase, as they had arrived at the house. She quickly got out of the car before he could say anything more and nearly ran into Sango, who was opening the front door for them.

"I saw you coming and I- Oomph!" She said as Kagome knocked into her, rushing into the house and apologizing.

Sesshomaru joining them, the group walked upstairs and Kagome retired to her room, trying to sort out her weeklong dilemma of a made decision and deciding to hit the hay early. After watching a couple shows with Sango, Sesshomaru decided to retire also, leaving Sango alone downstairs, after hearing his brother come in with his 'dog' in hot pursuit.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Aww man, how many days more must I endure this cruelty?! I said I was sorry! Can't you let me take a shower in peace?!" Kagome said, coming out of a curiously steam-deficient shower and emerging wet and filled with goose bumps, "I'm going to catch a cold one of these days!" She yelled into the hallway, wrapping her towel around her and glad to run to the warmth of her room.

"You're welcome to come join me." A mysterious voice said as a head popped into her room.

"Hey! I was changing! What if I had been naked when you came bursting in without knocking?"

"Well that's a whole different story altogether." Sesshomaru said while crossing his arms and entering the room.

He smirked without even looking at her, knowing that her silence meant that she had taken his sentence to a whole different level and was probably beetroot red. Sure enough, he turned and saw her looking fiercely at an imaginary spot of dirt on her sleeve and was trying to get it off, along with the blush on her face.

A slight smile crept upon him and wondered how he could be so easy with the woman in front of him. He had been avoiding women ever since the Kagura incident and now he thought he was becoming too familiar with the one in front of him. At the moment, Kagome was talking on about his father and he stared at her, trying to figure out what it was about her that made him so confused. Ignoring her talk, he continued to stare at her and didn't hear her question.

"-so do you think he will be okay with it?" Kagome repeated, thinking that the silence meant a no and she asked for clarification. She finally looked up to his face and noticed that he was staring fixedly at her, annoyed she asked, "Is there something on my face?"

Still staring, Sesshomaru gazed into her eyes, his golden irises reflecting the confusion his face was not portraying, and she noticed something other than anger behind those eyes, but couldn't quite place it, and neither could the confused Yoikai. Raising a clawed arm, Sesshomaru delicately and almost hesitantly stroked the side of Kagome's face, her mouth slightly dropping from confusion and something else too.

"Sesshoma..." Kagome whispered, but the moment ended all too soon, Sesshomaru's eyes going cold and his hand retreating like a light just switched off, his eye's squinting slightly and his confusion receded. Confused, Kagome was about to speak again when he abruptly turned heel and walked out of the door, saying breakfast was to be ready in an 10 minutes.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"I can't believe the last couple days have passed by so quickly, I'm so glad that my treatment for my burns lasted only 2 days... I think I would have gone crazy!" Sango said excitedly, her plate filled with chicken and rice. She asked for the beans and green peas, "I mean, it's already Friday and look at us! It's as if we have always been like this!"

"Hmph." Inuyasha said moodily, "Seems like _some_ people are getting a bit too comfortable here." Referring to Kagome, who was ironically sitting right beside Sesshomaru on his left, Inuyasha on the opposite head of the table.

"And you'd think you'd shut up about that. You know it was only a stunt, nothing happened. Didn't you learn your lesson yesterday when she beat it out of you for bringing the subject up last time? I mean, can't you ever learn to just stay out of it?" Miroku said with a glare and laughed when he remembered the beating Inuyasha had received the day before.

_Flashback_

_They had been sitting at the table, same as ever, when Inuyasha heard the door ring and brought in his black-eyed partner. Together, they turned the whole subject away from Mr. Taisho and his recommendations about the company to the fight the two girls had had in the office, making the atmosphere thick with a\wanted revenge and anger, soon ending when Kagome kicked ass (almost literally) and had Inuyasha backed into a corner, Kikyo down with a bloody nose._

"_Don't you ever talk about me like that! I'm not some bitch like the one you have there!" Kagome had said fiercely, pointing to the down Kikyo._

"_Well __**I'm**__ not the one who slept with him, am I? You expect me to think that he was the only one to want to sleep with you? And that it was just revenge for a couch fight? Oh please!" Inuyasha said as he shoved her out of his face, causing Sesshomaru to stand in-between them, "See! You guys are like a couple, why don't you just admit it!" _

"_Because nothing happened." Sesshomaru said in an eerily calm voice, eyes focused on Inuyasha, "It does not matter what you __**think**__ happened, nor will I correct you if you wish to make a fool out of yourself on the subject, but saying she's a whore who deserved to get beat by your servant bitch is __**not **__something I will allow in this house. Take her out and leave this room, or do you wish for this to go further?"_

"_Fine! I can take you on!"_

"_No! Just leave Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, now stepping in-between the two brothers._

_Clenching his fist, Inuyasha left to his room, Kikyo glaring at the two and eventually following._

_End Flashback_

"Hey, Kagome?" She nodded. "Hadn't you wanted to tell us something at the end of the week? I mean, with that great report from Sesshomaru's father, I can't imagine anything of greater news! You're the only secretary he's ever come to like, and he's never commented on one before." Sango said thoughtfully, not noticing the flicker of sadness that passed through Kagome.

"Huh? Oh... Thanks. Um... I can tell you guys later. And plus, I'd hate to ruin the whole mood here. Were supposed to be celebrating Sesshomaru's final take over of the company!" She said in a false, cheery voice, stretching it with a forced smile, and avoiding Sesshomaru's gaze altogether.

"Oh you won't dear! We're still celebrating the promotion, I just hate kept secrets, you know that." Sango said cheerfully, her mood making her mistake the hint in Kagome's eyes for something else.

"No, no. I'd rather tell you guys later, okay?"

"Aww, c'mon. Tell us." Inuysha said with a smirk, egging Sango into more pleas to force the secret out. He knew that Kagome was still trying to make her decision to stay and had been tracking her boyfriend ever since his talk with Sesshomaru. Hoping to gain some slight revenge from the lost battle the day before, he sat back and watched as Kagome struggled to keep her smile on her face, Sesshomaru glaring at him but saying nothing.

Finally, it seemed as if she had had enough, and the smile disappeared, causing Miroku to hesitate in his continuous barrage of questions, "Uh... Well, is it bad or something?"

"I already told you that." Kagome replied icily, wanting to leave the table.

Startled by the strange reply, confusion replaced the plain interest on the face of her friends. Confused, but now worried, Sango asked, "What _is_ it? What's wrong?"

Eyes closed to calm herself down, Kagome flinched when she felt the touch of a hand on hers, something she hadn't done since the first days of her stay. Realizing that the touch was from a concerned Sango, she got angrier rather than calmer, thinking irrationally that they were making the situation worse, rather being concerned friends.

"Just stop it! Stop it! I'm not going to tell you so just stop _asking_!" She yelled, getting up and running up the stairs, tears blurring her vision.

She ran blindly to her room, slamming her door and throwing her self on her bed. Though filled with drama, she had had the best week of her life, and she didn't want it to end! She had ignored threatening emails, visits from her half-sister and cars following her to and from work just to get a lasting feeling of what it was like to be free! She didn't want to go back to the bastard of a boyfriend, and dreaded thinking about the punishment she would get when she got to his house, the one that was no longer her own.

"Why can't they just leave me alone!" She sobbed, her head stuffed into her pillow. She didn't know if she was referring to her friends or her boyfriend and his gang.

Squeezing her eyes shut, as if to block out the world, Kagome eventually wandered into a strange dream, her tears following her there. A tower loomed over her and she cried as she crossed a desolate garden filled with weeds and thorn bushes to go to its door. As she opened it, a gloomy sky turned darker and threatened to rain on her, but somehow she knew it never would.

Wiping her still tearing eyes, Kagome wandered into the dusty first floor and noticed a small room inside, big enough for a living room, but seemed to be all of a house in one. A small cot on one side, the dreary place made her mood even worse, but no tears would come after a while and she sniffled as she went to the burning furnace, a doll sitting underneath it. Then, a staircase appeared, as if conjured in mid air, and she decided to climb it, figuring the dream had to end where the staircase did.

'_Just one more step.'_ She found herself telling herself, as the stairs seemed to be a taking her for miles, even though she could not see outside anymore. Breathing harder now, Kagome began to hear a cackling coming from farther up, but couldn't walk any faster.

Emerging into a cobweb filled room, she coughed as dust gathered up around her as she walked inside. Dirt covered every inch of the old room and a musty smell of an empty and unused room filled her nostrils. Her eyes scouring the room for the source of the cackling that had abruptly stopped, her eyes did a sort of double take, for there was a small round table covered with a tattered table cloth of black and on the chair beside it was what she thought to be a dust covered blanket. She was wrong. Inside, she saw a crinkled and withered hand grasp a glass ball and eyes peered from the blankets depths.

"You're eyes don't deceive you

I am what you thought

An old wrinkled hag

Who knows how you've fought."

"Huh? Um... Okay.. Where am I?"

"An answer you seek

For a question you know

Don't ask silly things

And the faster you'll go."

"I'm in a dream. I got that, but why do I know it?"

The hag didn't answer, frowning as if knowing that the question was another Kagome knew.

"Okay then..." Kagome said and thought about her recent dilemma, "What should I-"

The elder smiled,

"Go and leave them

Go away for a time

And all will get better

So says the Divine."

"Oh. Well, I guess that solves it... Kinda. Is this my mind telling me what I already know? Is this some type of inner self thing?"

The hag cackled again,

"I am a part of you

But not what you think

This is but a dream

And a well played link."

"Oh." Kagome sighed, "Must you talk in riddles all the time? I mean who are you? Oh, lemme guess, that's the wrong-"

"Don't question yourself

You know what to do

Now go and wake up

Someone's looking for you."

"_Kagome...Kagome? Kagome!"_ And Kagome opened her eyes to see the face of Sango, who looked worried and frightened, "Kagome, you were screaming! Were you having a nightmare?"

Blinking, she shook her head no and sat up, realizing that the sun was down and the moon high, "What time is it?"

"It's 11:30. Are you sure everything's fine?"

"Yea, did I wake everyone up?"

"Yea, " Came a voice from the corner and she swiveled her head to see that it was Sesshomaru, though he seemed to have been there a long time, his feet on top of a blanket.

"You could have just called us if you wanted something." Said another voice, and Kagome looked and saw Inuyasha with Kikyo near the door, both in bath robes, beside a smiling Miroku.

"Um... About uh..." Sango said hesitantly. She looked around the room as if for words.

"Don't worry about it Sango, I know you were just being a good friend. You will find out my decision tomorrow, so no need to dwell on the bad things today." She responded before Sango could continue, again avoiding Sesshomaru, and now Inuyasha's, piercing gaze.

"Oh, okay, well then I guess we'll go." Sango said and she and Miroku walked out of the room, followed reluctantly by a struggling Inuyasha and an insistent Kikyo. Lastly, Sesshomaru walked to the door, but instead of leaving, he closed it and sat on the edge of her bed.

"What is your decision Kagome?" He asked on a serious note.

"Can't you just wait until tom-"

"We both know there will be no tomorrow to discuss this, so what is your decision."

"Then you already know my position. My answer." She said angrily, hoping that they could just drop the subject and he could leave, he was only making it harder on her.

"Regardless of what I think, I need to know what your decision is."

"Sesshomaru! Why can't you just leave it!"

"We agreed to have this discussion later, you insisted that we talk about it before, and now I'm insisting, and you will have a harder time changing my mind." He said firmly, his golden eyes piercing hers.

"But you'll tell everyone else!-"

"Do you really believe that this Sesshomaru would betray your trust?" He interrupted fiercely, his voice hard with anger at the thought that that was what was keeping her from telling him.

"No... It's just..."

"Then tell me."

"Geez, I just... Wait, before I say anything, you said you would stand by my decision, right?"

He nodded.

"Then you might as well know. I am taking a bus to his house, _Naraku's_, and I'm going to stay there. I don't care what he does to me, but he threatened you guys... And I couldn't live if he..."

"Kagome... Why won't you just-"

"No! He will not die because of me! Sure I hate him, but I-I just can't..."

"Fine. But I won't do nothing. I can't let a woman just walk into the arms of an abusing man because she was worried about her friends and not _do_ anything to help."

She chuckled dryly as she said, "You saved my life once, and now you want to do it again..."

Catching a tear on his finger, Sesshomaru looked at her sympathetically and got up to leave.

"Wait." She said in an almost inaudible whisper.

He stopped and turned slightly.

"Could you help me pack?"

He nodded and she began filling her own bag with clothes, silence filling the room.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

The bus came swiftly, its headlights coming too soon for the scared Kagome. Sesshomaru, stiff and quiet, had decided to see her off, refusing to stay home while she walked out, and agreed on one thing, he wouldn't follow the bus in his car.

Watching the bus driver open the doors of the nearly empty bus, she got out her change and fumbled for her backpack, stalling and holding back tears. As she finally got the bag on, she rushed at Sesshomaru, throwing her arms around him and hugged him, his arms at first hesitant, then allowing, until they heard the voice of the bus driver saying that he didn't have all night.

Gently, Sesshomaru pushed Kagome away from the embrace and she nodded, heading towards the bus and sitting down, the doors closing with a final snap. Tears leaking down her face, she looked at where she had just been standing and noticed that Sesshomaru was nowhere to be seen.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

After an hour on the bus, it finally came to a stop and Kagome got off, thanking the driver, and saw her old place down the road, heading towards it with a saddened look and ringing the bell.

The door opened, "Well... lookwhoitis" Said a slurred voice, Naraku's hand clutching an empty beer bottle. He threw it at her and she blocked with her arms, the glass shattering when it hit the floor and cutting her. "Well! Whatare you stanin' dere for? Get me another one!"

She nodded and was shoved into the house. She handed him a beer and watched as he grabbed the phone and dialed a number.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

**Okay, so that ends this chapter and the next chapter will come out next week, hopefully! Review!!**


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